5 ideal replacements for Neymar at PSG
Neymar's future has become the subject of much speculation with reports claiming that Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) are open to letting the Brazilian icon leave this summer. PSG made Neymar the most expensive signing in the history of football when they secured his services for €222 million from Barcelona in 2017.
While the former Barca man has been one of PSG's best players in the last five seasons, his niggling injury issues have become a serious problem of late. Neymar has won five Ligue 1 titles with PSG, contributing to their cause with plenty of goals and exceptional levels of creativity.
Neymar has scored 118 goals and provided 77 assists in 173 appearances across all competitions for PSG since joining the club six years ago. Those numbers are extraordinary and it highlights just how special a talent Neymar is.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five ideal replacements for Neymar at PSG.
#5 Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Rafael Leao is one of the most exciting wingers in the world right now and his prime years are still ahead of him. The 24-year-old was linked with PSG earlier this year but the Parisians never made an official move for him.
Leao is known for his electric pace and dribbling ability. The Portuguese attacker is capable of beating defenders in one-on-ones and also has a penchant for finding the back of the net on a regular basis.
In the 2022-23 season, he scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for the Rossoneri. But PSG would need to offer a fortune to entice AC Milan to even come to the negotiating table as the player signed a new five-year deal in June.
#4 Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Marcus Rashford is another player who could be a great replacement for Neymar at PSG. But he has reportedly committed his future to Manchester United and is set to sign a new five-year contract at the club.
Rashford, like the Brazilian maverick, is a great dribbler and has shown that he can excel on the left wing. He is very good at taking defenders on and getting the better of them and has also proved his goalscoring and playmaking credentials beyond doubt in recent campaigns.
The 25-year-old was one of the best-performing forwards in Europe's top five leagues last term. He scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists in 56 appearances in all competitions for Manchester United in the 2022-23 season.
#3 Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
It is no secret that Joao Felix is seeking a move away from Atletico Madrid this summer. The Portuguese forward has fallen out of favor with coach Diego Simeone and spent the second half of the 2022-23 season on loan at Chelsea. He is now back in the Spanish capital but is assessing his options.
By virtue of his exceptional dribbling skills, vision, and football intelligence despite being just 23 years old, Felix could be a great replacement for Neymar at PSG. He is capable of creating goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and providing the creative spark that Neymar brought to the Ligue 1 giants.
He is also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or as a forward and is a dynamic footballer who can be quite lethal on his day.
#2 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
While Mohamed Salah is not a like-for-like replacement for Neymar as he operates on the opposite wing, he could still be a great option for PSG. Lionel Messi's departure has left a void on their right flank and Salah is one of the very best right-wingers in the world at the moment.
He was in impressive form in the 2022-23 season and despite Liverpool's struggles, Salah managed to put up excellent numbers. The 31-year-old scored 30 goals and provided 16 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Liverpool last term.
It's worth noting that even though Salah is the same age as Neymar, he is not as injury-prone. He could be a good stopgap solution for PSG.
#1 Harry Kane (Tottenham Hotspur)
Harry Kane is one of the most well-rounded centre-forwards of the modern era. In addition to being a prolific goalscorer, Kane has shown that he is quite good when it comes to playmaking as well.
However, despite the incredible goalscoring numbers he has racked up in his career, Kane is yet to win any silverware with Tottenham Hotspur.
According to ESPN, PSG have now joined Bayern Munich in the race to sign Kane. The 29-year-old has now entered the final year of his contract with Spurs and is reportedly unwinning to extend his deal with the North London outfit.
If that's the case, Spurs will look to cash in on him this summer as they wouldn't want to risk losing a player of Kane's stature for free next year.
But Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is notoriously difficult to do business with. As such, PSG will need to cough up a very lucrative package if they are to stand a chance of signing Kane.