"I would love to see him at Arsenal" - Gunners icon hopes to see PSG star Neymar in North London
Gilberto Silva has urged Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Neymar Jr. to join Arsenal rather than Newcastle United this summer.
It has been a tumultuous month for the Brazilian playmaker, who saw Parisians fans shouting 'Neymar get lost' outside his house and the club's headquarters. He has been sidelined with a season-ending ankle injury since March.
The 124-cap Brazil international is the third highest-paid player in Europe, and his contract expires in 2025. However, according to Metro, he's ready to pack his bags and move to England.
Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with a move for him, while Newcastle are said to hold an interest, too. However, Silva, who won the Premier League in the 2003-04 season with Arsenal, believes he should join the Gunners instead.
The Brazilian legend told casinosite.nl:
"The last few weeks at PSG have been very strange for Neymar. Seeing people go to his house; I don’t agree with this, fans are not allowed to go to a player’s house to protest."
He added:
"Everyone knows the quality of Neymar. I don’t need to speak about his quality. I love the way he plays, and I would love to see him at Arsenal instead of Newcastle because I love the boy as a player, but he also has a lot to contribute to football."
Silva concluded:
"He’s suffered some injury problems, which have made life hard for him, but he has so much more to offer any football club. How would he fit in? Well, this would be a great task for Mikel!"
Neymar, 31, can play behind the striker, down the flanks and as a No. 10.
What Christophe Galtier has said about PSG fans protesting against Neymar?
Christophe Galtier took issue with PSG fans for protesting outside Neymar's house earlier this month.
Les Parisiens have gone another season without achieving UEFA Champions League glory and have lost seven times in their last 15 games across competitions. Neymar seems to have become a target for their frustration.
However, Galtier isn't happy with PSG fans' actions, saying via ESPN:
"Regarding the protests in front of a player's home, we have to be careful with that. Private life must remain private. I can understand the anger, the disappointment of our fans. You may protest at the training ground or at the PSG office or after a match at the Parc des Princes. But I cannot accept it at anyone's house, whether it's Neymar or anyone else."
Neymar has missed 119 games due to injury since joining the Parisians from Barcelona for a world-record fee of €222 million in 2017.