"Barcelona always wanted to bring Neymar back" - PSG president
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has revealed that Barcelona have "always wanted" to re-sign Neymar Jr.
Neymar spent four years at Barcelona before his move to PSG. He helped the Catalan giants win two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, and a UEFA Champions League title.
The Brazilian established himself as one of the best players in the world during his time at Barcelona. He formed a formidable attacking partnership with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.
Neymar was tipped to be the successor to Lionel Messi at Barcelona but shocked the world when he completed a world-record transfer (worth €222 million) to PSG in the summer of 2017.
Since joining PSG, Neymar has helped the club to three Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France trophies and two Coupe de la Ligue titles.
Despite enjoying success at PSG, Neymar has often been linked with a move back to Barcelona. The Catalan giants have spent over €400 million on the likes of Philippe Coutinho, Antoine Griezmann and Ousmane Dembele in a bid to replace the forward. However, these players have largely been underwhelming.
Neymar recently signed a new deal with PSG that runs until 2025, thereby ruling out any potential transfer to Barcelona in the near future.
PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi revealed that it did not take much to convince Neymar to stay in the French capital. He told L'Equipe (via Barca Blaugranes):
"Barcelona always wanted to bring Neymar back, that is no secret. But did Neymar want to go? No. It is true that at that time, his adaptation to Paris & France was still incomplete."
"It was not hard to find an agreement with Neymar. If it took so long, it was because of the health crisis. I never had any doubts."
Also Read: Fabrizio Romano’s Transfer Roundup: Update on Lionel Messi’s contract, Chelsea’s plan for the summer and more
PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi opens up about his club's interest in Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has made no secret of his interest in bringing Lionel Messi to PSG this summer. The Argentine's contract with Barcelona is set to expire at the end of the month.
When asked about his club's reported interest in the six-time Ballon d'Or winner, Al-Khelaifi said:
"I told the president of Barça: Messi is at the end of his contract, all clubs have the right to discuss with. What I can say is that all the great players want to come. To make things clear I’m not saying that to respond to Messi."
Reports have suggested that Lionel Messi is likely to extend his contract with Barcelona once he returns from international duty with Argentina.
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