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Neymar, the Brazilian star who left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, is reportedly open to returning to his former club. The winger is left with a dissatisfied Kylian Mbappe and no Lionel Messi in the current PSG squad, and one could see why he would want to see a way out of the French club.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the winger is open to joining Barcelona and has repeatedly offered himself to the club. The 31-year-old’s agent, Pin Zahavi, and Barcelona president Joan Laporta share a great relationship, which could facilitate the deal. However, the deal is far from done, as there are many obstacles and complications involved. First of all, Barcelona have not yet made a decision on whether they want to re-sign Neymar or not. Laporta also believes that Neymar can help Barcelona win titles and attract other top players.
On the other hand, the new coach, Xavi Hernandez, has doubts about Neymar's arrival and is not convinced that Neymar fits his style of play or his philosophy. Xavi also prefers to focus on developing the young talents at the club, such as Ansu Fati, Pedri, and Gavi. Xavi has the final say on the transfers, and he will have to approve Neymar's signing.
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Another issue is the financial aspect of the deal, as Neymar is currently earning around €700,000 per week at PSG, which is way beyond Barcelona's budget. Neymar is willing to lower his demands significantly, but he still expects a competitive salary and a long-term contract. Barcelona are struggling with their debts and wage bill, and they will have to sell some players or negotiate a swap deal with PSG to afford Neymar.
Finally, there is the question of how Neymar will be received by the fans and the dressing room. Neymar left Barcelona in a controversial manner four years ago, breaking his contract and paying his €222 million release clause. He also sued the club for unpaid bonuses and was involved in legal disputes with them. Neymar will have to rebuild his trust and reputation with the club and its supporters if he wants to return.
Neymar is one of the best players in the world, having scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 29 games for PSG last season. Neymar has always spoken highly of Barcelona and has never ruled out a comeback. However, it remains to be seen if Barcelona will make a move for Neymar or not. The transfer window closes on August 31st, and there is not much time left to negotiate a complex deal. Neymar most likely would not have his dream return to the Catalan club this summer and could look for other European options.
