Neymar’s potential move to Barcelona and other news

Updated: 3rd February 2023

News is that Neymar, Jr. has failed to turn up for the first day of Paris Saint Germain's pre-season training session. The Brazilian star who missed his country's recent Copa America title win in Brazil, was supposed to have arrived at the club's training ground on Monday.

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The forward who has scored 34 goals from his 37 appearances for PSG since his joining the Parisienne club in 2017 has been linked to a move to Barcelona where he seems desperate to return.

PSG's sporting director Leonardo Araujo has in an interview to the French daily, Le Parisien, said that Neymar could leave if there is an offer that suits everyone and added that there was a “very superficial contact” from Barcelona with no cues as to what kind of finances could be involved.

“PSG wants to rely on players who want to stay and build something big” Araujo said.

From the record sums spent on him since his arrival to Paris, the last thing the French champions would like to see is a reluctant Neymar and not want him to leave cheap.

So desperate is the 27-year old forward to join Barcelona that he is willing to take a pay cut of 12 million euros a year down from 24 million euros and also drop a €26 million court case against the Catalan club for claims owed to him as a loyalty bonus before leaving it two years ago.

Things have already made a potential deal for Neymar a bit difficult with the Blaugrana going ahead and signing Frenkie de Jong from Ajax for an initial 75 million euros (£67m) and a deal worth £107 million for Atletico Madrid star Antoine Griezmann is reportedly to be nearing a closure.

Griezmann's failure to turn up at his club's pre-season training has lent further wings to his rumoured move to Barcelona.

Currently Barcelona have Arthur, Arturo Vidal and Malcom using up their three non-EU spots and the Catalan giants will need to offload one to make room for Neymar,

An interesting development emanating from a potential arrival of Neymar at Nou Camp is that Arsenal's Unai Emery could continue his pursuit of Barcelona forward Malcom.

The Gunners have reportedly already made an offer to take the 22-year-old next summer on loan but it is understood Barcelona would prefer to sell. Arsenal were reportedly lining Malcom up as a cheaper alternative to first-choice target Wilfried Zaha for whom they may have to cough up £40 million at least.

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The latest and even more curious development is of Everton vying for Malcom with the Merseyside club all set to make an offer of £31 million for the Brazilian youngster. Everton boss Marco Silva has made the former Bordeaux player his priority and is reportedly willing to exceed an offer amount of £35 million for him.

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