"Real Madrid were willing to pay €300 million for him": Neymar's agent
Neymar's former agent Wagner Ribeiro has revealed that Real Madrid attempted to sign his client in 2019 but were thwarted by Paris St. Germain.
The reigning French champions signed the Brazilian forward in 2017 from Barcelona on a world-record €222 million transfer fee. Neymar has more than justified his gargantuan price tag, netting 83 goals and providing 49 assists in 106 games, despite being plagued by injuries.
Here is what, Ribeiro, a former agent of Neymar, told L'Equipe regarding Real Madrid's attempt to prise the Brazilian away from Paris:
"At that time, he was close to going to Real Madrid. Madrid were willing to pay €300 million for him, Florentino (Perez) told me, but Nasser (Al-Khelaifi) refused. 'Not for a billion, he's not going to go,' Nasser told me".
Neymar has mostly been used as a no. 10 by new manager PSG Mauricio Pochettino, with the player's all-round forward ability being the driving factor behind the team's success in various competitions.
The Brazilian has also struck a fearsome partnership with his fellow PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, as the duo aim to bring home the elusive prize - the Champions League - to the French capital.
Will Real Madrid be able to afford Neymar in the summer?
13-time Champions League winners Real Madrid have a reputation of signing big-name players, and the club would more than welcome Neymar to Madrid considering their struggles in attack this season.
Apart from striker Karim Benzema, no other player has scored more than ten goals for Real Madrid in the 2020-21 La Liga, a problem the management will look to fix in the summer.
However, it would be difficult to acquire Neymar, considering Real Madrid's financial problems since the COVID-19 outbreak. The club conducted no incoming business during the pandemic-affected 2020 transfer window.
It is highly unlikely Real Madrid would be able to offer PSG a considerable deal in the near future to sign Neymar.
Both Real Madrid and PSG are alive in the Champions League, with one foot in the semi-finals.
Neymar's PSG will play defending European champions Bayern Munich at home on Tuesday, looking to exact revenge for last year's loss in the final. On the other hand, Real Madrid will go to Anfield on Wednesday as they seek to win a record-extending 14th title in the competition.
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