FC Barcelona star Neymar Jr. is reportedly unhappy with his wage situation at the Catalan club and is open to a move in the summer.
Neymar is set to enter contract talks with Barcelona after Sunday’s Copa Del Rey final, according to Brazilian news outlet Globo Esporte.
It was recently revealed that Neymar’s wages are considerably lower than that of other star players like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. The Brazil star is not too happy about this and is said to be prepared for a transfer out of Barcelona if a lucrative option presents itself in the summer. Here are three clubs Neymar could move to in the summer if the Brazilian fails to resolve his impasse with the club.
Paris Saint-Germain
With star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic set to leave the club, PSG are on the lookout for the next big name player. Neymar has developed into one of the best players in the world, evidenced by his third-place finish at the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards for 2015.
A move to PSG will ensure that Neymar will get enormous wages as the Ligue 1 champions do not have the same financial constraints as the Catalans. However, the level of competition is much lower in France and such a move may not attract the Brazilian. One thing he has a good chance of getting at PSG though is a regular chance of contending for domestic titles and regular Champions League action.
Real Madrid
While it seems rather improbable for a Barcelona player to transfer to Real Madrid, various reports have suggested that Los Blancos are interested in signing the Brazilian star. Real Madrid are a team that can match Neymar’s high wage demands and are known to go out of their way to sign star players.
Also, their own star player Cristiano Ronaldo reportedly wants a move away from the Spanish capital, which makes it necessary for manager Zinedine Zidane to sign another top quality player. Neymar, who also plays on the left wing, looks like a natural replacement for Ronaldo.
However, even though there is precedent for this, it looks unlikely that Barcelona will sell one of their best players to arch rivals Real Madrid.
Manchester City
The Sky Blues are a club that can afford to pay the huge transfer fee and match the high wage demands of Neymar. Manchester City look like the best option for a Neymar transfer at the moment.
Another factor in the Citizens’ favour is the relationship their chiefs have with the Catalan club. Txiki Begiristain, who is currently the director of football at Manchester City, had also served in the same role at the Catalan club before (apart from playing for Barcelona seven years). Additionally, former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is set to join Manchester City in the summer.
This move definitely makes a lot of sense for Neymar as he will get to play in a highly competitive league under one of the best managers in world football. To add to that, he could even get a shot at breaking the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duopoly at the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards if he can flourish under the Guardiola system.
