XAVI has emphatically shut down any rumours of a Neymar return to Barcelona.
The Brazilian winger, 31, had reportedly offered himself to Barca after Lionel Messi’s romantic return to the Nou Camp failed to come to fruition.
Messi, 35, instead joined MLS side Inter Miami on a contract that will see him earn £43million-a-year which equates to £830,000-a-week.
But Xavi was quick to shut down any chance of a reunion with Neymar.
Xavi was asked about the rumours that the Brazilian had offered himself to Barcelona by podcast Jijantes FC and said: “I’m surprised… he’s not in our plan.
“I really like Ney as a friend, but we have different priorities.”
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Neymar and Xavi were Barcelona team-mates with the two playing together from 2013 to 2015 before Xavi left for Qatari club Al Sadd.
Both were key players in a Barca side that won the treble in 2015.
Neymar left Barcelona for PSG in 2017 for a world record fee of £200m.
It is not the first time the forward has offered to return to Barca after enduring a mixed spell during his time in Paris.
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Despite winning 13 trophies at PSG he has never established himself as the star man of the team, and has instead been overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe and Messi.
Last year, Neymar told Brazil legend Ronaldo on the Fenomenos Podcast that he “tried everything” to return to Barcelona in the summer of 2019.
Xavi’s comments have shut down any last notion of a return to the Catalan club but the Brazilian has suitors in the form of Manchester United and Chelsea.
French outlet L’Equipe claim negotiations have taken place between Neymar’s team and United with the forward’s preference being to join the Manchester club.
And Chelsea owner Todd Boehly has long been a fan of Neymar, reportedly holding a meeting to sign him back in February.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
