Advertisement
Transfer News

Report claims PSG will smash the world record and pay Barcelona €222m for Neymar

Barca director Jordi Mestre insists a deal won’t be happening, however.

Spain: FC Barcelona Training Session Neymar. SIPA USA / PA Images SIPA USA / PA Images / PA Images

SPECULATION HAS BEEN mounting that Neymar is preparing to leave Barcelona.

A report in the Brazilian superstar’s homeland claims that he has accepted a contract offer from PSG, who are prepared to smash the world transfer record and pay his €222million release clause.

The article, in Esporte Interativo, adds that the deal will be officially announced in the next two weeks.

However, Barca’s vice president Jordi Mestre is adamant that the 25-year-old is going nowhere.

“I’m 200 per cent sure that he is going to stay,” Mestre told a news conference.

“I’ve read information in the French press that PSG themselves have categorically denied it, a club with whom we are maintaining absolutely normal relations.

“Nothing has changed in that aspect.”

Segura stressed that Barca do not intend to sell any of their first-team players as head coach Ernesto Valverde has all of them in his plans for next season.

“All the players in the squad are non-transferable,” he said. “Nobody wants to leave here and everyone wants to come.

“Until proven otherwise, it’s the best squad and we’re counting on all of them, as Ernesto Valverde said yesterday [Monday].”

Barca have been criticised in the local media for failing to hold on to some of their brightest young talents, with Jordi Mboula and Eric Garcia the latest to leave La Masia, having signed deals with Monaco and Manchester City respectively.

Segura suggested that Barca could consider offering increased salaries in order to convince some of their young players to stay.

“We live in a time when football has evolved. We have to accept that but we won’t change our way of acting,” he said.

“Sometimes there are players who take that step [away] and then regret it. In terms of the possibility of raising the salary of players in the academy to avoid departures, that’s a subject that is being studied.”

The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!

Klopp explains why Liverpool ignored Salah’s struggles at Chelsea

Man City sizing up former Liverpool goalkeeper as Claudio Bravo’s future remains uncertain

Your Voice
Readers Comments
11
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.