Neymar enduring 'massive headache' over PSG bid, says former teammate
Paris Saint-Germain’s triggering of Neymar’s €222-million release clause has left the Brazilian forward with a headache-inducing conundrum over his future, says his former Santos colleague Andre.
Barcelona fans were given faint hope that Neymar had committed to staying in Catalonia when teammate Gerard Pique posted a picture of them together on Instagram, accompanied by the caption: “He stays.”
Related: Pique posts picture with Neymar, claims Brazilian will stay at Barcelona
A source apparently close to Neymar then told ESPN FC that he had “no idea” why Pique shared the image, with recent accounts claiming Neymar’s father had held successful contract negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain on his son’s behalf.
“I cannot speak for him,” Andre told L’Equipe about the possible world-record transfer, with translation from ESPN FC. “It is a complicated negotiation process and there is a lot of money at stake in something like this. In any case, Paris is a great city and if he goes there, he will love it, that is certain.
“I know that he has a massive headache because of this right now. It is not an easy decision. In Paris, he will be surrounded by his friends. That does not mean he is uncomfortable at Barca though. On the contrary, he actually feels very good there. Because of that, his choice has been made even harder.”
(Photo courtesy: Action Images)
In addition to the location and potentially monumental pay packet tempting him northwards, Neymar may also be keen on being the face of PSG. Since the club was taken over by a Qatari consortium in 2012, big-name players have arrived in the French capital, but none of the notoriety of Neymar. He’s an undoubted commercial success wherever he lands, and the Brazilian wouldn’t have to out-sparkle the likes of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to put himself in the reckoning for the greatest individual prizes in the game.
“I think it’s absolutely no coincidence that this speculation has emerged shortly after the news that Messi has signed a new contract with Barcelona,” South American football expert Tim Vickery mused to BBC Sport last week.
“How will it end? I have my little idea but honestly, you can never be 100 percent sure in modern football,” Andre continued. “We are talking about a potentially historic transfer and negotiations to match with enormous amounts of money in play, so we cannot predict an outcome.
“As for me, I can say nothing. I cannot speak for him. It is up to Neymar to announce whether he will go there (to PSG) or not.”
In what some were touting as his last game for the Blaugrana, Neymar scored twice in his side’s 2-1 defeat of Juventus at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Saturday.
