PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN are willing to sell Neymar back to Barcelona for an “impossible” £156million, according to shock reports.
And it is understood the superstar, 28, will push hard to force through the transfer back to the Nou Camp.
Barcelona are still hopeful of signing Neymar again – and could do so for a cut-price fee
But according to Sport in Spain, even that cut-price fee will simply be too expensive for the LaLiga giants this summer.
The report explains that Barcelona are determined to sign Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan but are also very keen on bringing Neymar back.
PSG would be open to the idea of letting the Brazilian leave – but only in exchange for cash.
The transfer market is set to be thrown up in the air this year as the financial impact of the coronavirus takes its toll.
All of the top global stars have seen their market values drop significantly as a result of the pandemic.
Kylian Mbappe – the world’s most valuable footballer – dropped from £200m pre-lockdown to as low as £158m while Neymar went from £156m down to £122m.
Lionel Messi suffered the biggest fall from £156m down to £113m, a whopping 27.5 per cent.
That all means big transfer fees look set to be largely off the cards with more player swaps instead.
Barcelona were hoping to potentially use some of their French contingent – namely Samuel Umtiti, Ousmane Dembele and maybe even Antoine Griezmann – to help secure a deal with the Ligue 1 champions.
But with PSG asking for cash, Barcelona look unlikely to be able to afford Neymar if they continue their pursuit of Martinez.
The Samba star spent four years with the Catalan side between 2013 and 2017 – scoring 105 goals in 186 games – before his world-record £198m transfer to PSG where he has added 69 in 80.
He formed part of one of the deadliest attacking trios of all time with Messi and Luis Suarez as Barca were crowned European and world champions in 2015.
And the defending La Liga champions have persistently been linked with a deal to get him again.
Ex-Nou Camp president Sandro Rossell is adamant if he was still in charge of the club, he would make re-signing the now-PSG star his No1 priority.
Rosell, who ran the Catalan giants between 2010 and 2014, told COPE and Radio Marca: “If I were the president of Barca, I would try to sign Neymar
“He is the second-best player in the world after Messi and fits perfectly into the philosophy of the club.
“But with experience, I would sign him with two contracts, one sports and the other behavioural.”
Moment Neymar pranks son with egg which smashes on his head as PSG star plays during lockdown
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
