PSG star wants to leave club and join Barcelona, move deemed unlikely due to economic situation at La Liga club - Reports
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Neymar Jr. is reportedly open to leaving the French giants and returning to Barcelona.
The Brazilian winger grabbed headlines six years ago when PSG signed him from Barca after triggering his €222 million release clause, which is still a world record fee for a player. He has had a mixed time in Paris since then.
Neymar's stats speak for themselves. 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 games across competitions is not a bad return by any means. But injury issues have blighted his time at the Parc des Princes.
According to SPORT, PSG no longer believe Neymar is worth the wages he is being paid. As per Capology, he earns €56.36 million in gross wages annually and his current contract expires in the summer of 2025.
PSG have informed him that he can find a new club and the player is apparently open to returning to Barcelona. His agent, Pini Zahavi, shares a close relationship with Barca president Joan Laporta.
However, a return to Catalonia is supposedly hard to manufacture due to Barca's financial issues. The Blaugrana outfit are in the process of balancing their wage books so they can make new signings, with players such as Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets leaving this summer.
They notably missed out on signing Lionel Messi, who is set to join Inter Miami next month. According to ESPN, Barcelona were in no position to register the Argentina icon unless they raised a sizable amount through player sales.
The situation could be similar with Neymar. He spent four years at Barca, where he won nine trophies, including the treble in the 2014-15 season.
Former Barcelona manager in talks with PSG to become their new head coach - Reports
According to the Guardian, Luis Enrique is in advanced talks with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) over becoming their new manager.
Christophe Galtier was reportedly relieved of his duties earlier this month despite still having a year left on his contract. The French tactician helped Les Parisiens win the league title but couldn't take them past the Round of 16 stage of the UEFA Champions League.
Enrique notably managed Barcelona from 2014 to 2017, helping them win the treble in his first season as their head coach. He went on to manage Spain over two spells but stepped down from his post after their 2022 FIFA World Cup exit in the Round of 16.
The 53-year-old could reportedly be unveiled as PSG's new coach in the coming days. One of his first tasks could be to handle the transfer saga surrounding Kylian Mbappe, who could be sold this summer.