Report: Barcelona will once again try to sign Neymar in summer

Barcelona won’t be denied in their pursuit of Neymar.

The Catalan side is expected to make another attempt at signing the Brazilian star from Paris Saint-Germain during next summer’s transfer window, sources told Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN.

The two clubs were locked in talks this past summer but couldn’t strike a deal.

Neymar, 27, is viewed by the Barca brass as the ideal replacement for Lionel Messi. The Brazilian maintains a good relationship with the club despite the contentious 2017 move that saw him join PSG for a world-record €222-million fee. Gerard Pique recently said Barcelona players were willing to adjust their own contracts in order to help facilitate Neymar’s return.

The prolific attacker’s spell in the French capital has been hampered by a rash of injuries, but he’s consistently produced at the Parc des Princes when healthy. Despite dealing with ankle and hamstring problems this season, Neymar’s bagged eight goals in just 10 Ligue 1 appearances, adding four assists.

His bond with the club remains tenuous, though, after PSG made the last round of negotiations with Barca difficult. The Brazilian wasn’t shy about his desire to return to the Camp Nou, but ultimately a deal couldn’t be reached.

It’s unclear what kind of price tag PSG would put on Neymar, or if they’d be willing to accept players as part of any potential package.