Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil striker Neymar is interested in moving away from the French club once again, despite having three years left on his current contract.
According to French outlet Le10Sport, the Brazilian attacker is determined to leave the club, possibly due to their exit from the Champions League.
It is quite extraordinary that the player involved in the costliest transfer in world football history, isn’t often spoken about when the “best in the world” discussion takes place.
Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are on a different level altogether, but Neymar, whose €222 million transfer fee, the highest in world football history which took him from Barcelona to PSG, has been disappointing, to say the least.
In his two seasons with PSG, Neymar has scored 50 goals for the club in all competitions and has won the Ligue 1 in both seasons, as well as domestic cup competitions. But it’s the Champions League where Neymar and PSG have faltered, despite having one of the strongest squads in European football.
Neymar’s move from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 was to possibly step out of Lionel Messi’s shadow and carve a niche for himself. But, the Brazilian hasn’t really set the world on fire with his performances on the pitch.
Should any Premier League team make a move?
With the huge wages and transfer fee that will be involved in the 27-year-old’s transfer from PSG, there could perhaps be only three clubs – Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool who can afford the Brazilian attacker.
However, what will put off Premier League teams is not just the transfer fee, but his attitude. Neymar has shown that he can’t be a leader at a club, like Messi and Ronaldo have done for a decade, putting in fantastic, consistent performances week after week, while also single-handedly influencing games.
The Brazilian is still seen as a diver, going to ground easily, which may not go down well in the Premier League; a dive at a hostile away ground can possibly break a fragile player like Neymar.
Neymar is a phenomenal talent who can create a bit of magic out of nothing, but his consistency and big-game attitude has been questioned time and again.
There is also the issue of him not being a dedicated footballer; he has been injured or suspended for five successive years in and around the time of his sister’s birthday, which cannot be a coincidence.
While Neymar is a fantastic talent, his wages and transfer fee, as well as his attitude are enough factors for Premier League clubs to look away from the PSG man in the summer transfer window.