Neymar agrees Barcelona return, could trigger painful exit

Neymar will likely return to Barcelona in a transfer that has been the subject of serious speculation of late.

L’Equipe recently suggested that Neymar has already told Paris Saint-Germain of his desire to quit the club. A few days later, he received word from new coach Luis Enrique and sports director Luis Campos that he would not be part of the team’s plans for the 2023-24 season.

The main factor at the moment is PSG’s readiness to sell the player. They weren’t on board at first, but now that they see how few their choices are, they’re coming around.

Barcelona hope Neymar will rescind his PSG deal

According to the Catalan daily newspaper SPORT, Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly open to letting their striker return to Barcelona, they purchased him from in 2017. The report adds that the Blaugrana is lobbying for PSG to release him from his contract so he may return to Spain on a free transfer.

There is no need to convince the Brazilian to rejoin his old team; he has already consented to do so. The superstar has also accepted a significant pay cut to his $61 million per year with the Ligue 1 champions. Subsequently, SPORT have reported that the 31-year-old will earn $13.1 million if he were to return to Camp Nou.

Neymar’s departure from the French giants is the last matter to be settled. The stated asking price for the Brazilian player is between $65-$165 million, much outside the financial means of Barca. Therefore, Xavi Hernandez’s team is hoping that PSG and Neymar can come to terms about a contract termination.

Neymar’s return could come at high price

Barca are said to be giving Neymar a one-year contract, with the option of renewing for a longer and better deal in 2024. However, the reigning La Liga winners may yet be forced to part ways with a key player in order to meet Financial Fair Play requirements.

Reports from Spanish journalist Josep Capdevila suggest that a ‘painful’ exit for supporters is possible if Neymar moves to the Camp Nou from PSG. Without naming any names, he writes that the Blaugrana fans will find it hard to accept the departure.

This would imply that Neymar’s arrival at Barcelona may force the club to part ways with a promising young player. Thus, Ansu Fati may be the club’s sacrificial lamb, according to El Chiringuito’s Jose Alvarez.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Penta Press