Barcelona Transfer News: Lawyer who paid Neymar's buyout clause in 2017 spotted in Barcelona
What's the story?
Valencian lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo, who was involved in the completion of Neymar's €222 million move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, was spotted in the Spanish city on Monday, further fuelling rumours of the Brazilian's return to the Camp Nou.
In case you didn't know...
Neymar's exit from the Parc des Princes has been widely reported this summer, with arch-rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid said to be battling it out for his signature.
After Blaugrana vice-president Jordi Cardoner ruled out a return for the 27-year-old a few weeks ago, Los Blancos emerged as the favourite to land the forward.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is interested in signing the Brazil international, but the club have reportedly been unable to meet PSG's demands, and their inability to find the funds to back Paul Pogba's signing from Manchester United has been considered a sign that they cannot afford the former Barcelona star's transfer.
As Neymar's preferred choice remains Barcelona, the Catalan giants are reportedly ready to make one final push to secure his return, with a player-plus-cash deal involving Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic on the cards.
The heart of the matter
According to Spanish daily SPORT, Crespo, the lawyer who deposited Neymar's €222 million buyout clause with La Liga in 2017, was spotted at Barcelona on Monday, sending the media into an absolute frenzy over a potential return for the Brazilian forward.
The Valencian lawyer is said to be frequently involved in major deals involving UEFA, UEFA or CAS. When asked if he was in the city to finish a Barcelona move for Neymar, Crespo showed restraint and declined to answer.
What's next?
ESPN FC have today reported that Barcelona have scheduled a meeting with PSG, with the Catalan giants' director of football Eric Abidal and technical secretary Javier Bordas set to represent the club in negotiations for a potential transfer for Neymar.
This week is believed to be very important in learning how much cash it will take to bring Neymar out of PSG. It remains to be seen how this saga will pan out in the next few days.