Amidst Neymar’s contract talks with Barcelona, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris St. Germain continue to push hard to convince the Brazilian to be the face of their club this transfer window.
Brazilian superstar Neymar’s future has been a subject of intense speculation this summer with clubs ready to meet Barcelona’s astronomical release clause for the player, believed to be in excess of a €190 million. Neymar has already completed three seasons with the Blaugrana and with two seasons left on his contract, Mundo Deportivo believes that the 24-year-old is still considering offers from potential suitors, leaving FC Barcelona unsettled.
On holiday at the moment, Neymar’s absence is clouding the Catalans’ bid to complete a deal to extend their star forward’s stay at the Camp Nou. As a result, the club have sent in André Cury and Raul Sanllehí to Brazil to complete contract negotiations as early as possible. Manchester United too have reportedly sent over their agent Pini Zahavi, to convince their man that Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford would be the ideal step-up for a player of his quality.
A big money transfer tussle
Blessed with an enormous war-chest to bring home the crème de la crème of world football, Paris St.Germain, Manchester United and Real Madrid could find themselves engaged in a bidding war for Neymar this summer should any further doubts emerge regarding the striker’s future at Barcelona.
PSG are ready to reward the Brazilian with a contract that offers double the wages he earns currently at the Camp Nou and Manchester United are seemingly ready to match any price the Catalans put on their forward. Real Madrid though over the past few weeks have rescinded their approach towards sealing what would be a contentious switch between two bitter Spanish rivals. However Neymar’s agent, Ribeiro, claimed that both himself and the Brazilian’s family fancied a switch to Real Madrid for the forward, in order to do away with all the controversy that surrounded his transfer from Santos to Barcelona in the first place.
Madrid are willing to offer the player a six-year contract, where he’ll earn €15 million a year, in their bid to try and entice another high profile name from the Catalan club to make the switch to the Spanish capital, just like they did with Luis Figo back in 2000.
Could Neymar actually leave Barcelona?
Neymar has won all the major honours there is to take at the domestic and continental level (bar the Spanish Super Cup) with Barcelona and at this point of time money and consistent top-level football is probably all the Brazilian would be looking for. The kind of talent that he possesses and the marketable brand that he is, a move anywhere for the former Santos man would benefit all parties. The prospect of creating waves in other leagues across the continent, especially one as globally popular as the Premier League, could be an attractive one for the 24-year old.
With both PSG and Manchester United ready to match any amount the Catalans throw at them, Neymar might just be enticed to take a chance with one of the clubs and create a name for himself amidst a different scene in European football. To net 31 goals and rack up 27 assists in a 49 game campaign for the Blaugrana is an astounding feat which is why every team in the world would like Neymar to be leading them up-front. But as it stands should a transfer to another club be on the cards, only the likes of United, PSG and Madrid would be financially capable of carrying out the player’s exit.
Barcelona hope to announce Neymar’s new deal on July 1, 2016. The La Liga champions hope the Brazilian will sign a six-year deal until 2022 with a 230 million euro release clause. For now though, nothing is signed.
