Neymar lost his magic after leaving Barcelona – Meunier
FT Desk
- Updated: 26 Jul 2022 11:29 BST
- 3 min read
Thomas Meunier says that Neymar has “lost his magic” since leaving Barcelona for PSG.
Neymar smashed the world transfer record when PSG paid his €222 million release clause in the summer of 2017.
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The Brazilian moved to Paris hoping to escape Lionel Messi’s shadow in order to become the best player in the world.
However, the now-30-year-old has failed to live up to his price-tag and has been plagued by injuries and declining form over recent years.
His former team-mate at PSG, Thomas Meunier, has admitted that Neymar has never been the same player at PSG as he was at Barcelona.
What did Meunier say?
"I have to admit that I was a big fan of Neymar when he was still playing at Barcelona. In Paris, however, he lost his magic, from my point of view,” Meunier, who played for PSG from 2016 to 2020 before joining Borussia Dortmund, told Kicker.
"The comeback is all about him. If I was 10, I would have had his poster in my room.”
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Neymar’s future at PSG is currently clouded in uncertainty.
There have been reports for several weeks now that PSG do not consider Neymar part of their plans for the 2022-23 season.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi appeared to target Neymar last month when he said:
“Maybe we need to change our slogan… Dream Bigger is good, but today we must above all be realistic. We no longer want flashy or bling-bling. It’s the end of the sequins.
“PSG’s position is clear: players who are not part of the project will have to leave. You have to discipline yourself on and off the pitch. Whoever wants to stay in his comfort zone, who does not want to fight, he will step aside.”
When specifically asked if Neymar was staying at PSG, Al-Khelaifi refused to confirm the Brazilian was part of the plans.
Neymar himself would like to stay, recently remarking: "I want to stay at the club. I am still under contract for a few years.
"So far, the club has not told me anything like this [about wanting me to leave].”
But FootballTransfers understands that PSG would listen to offers and be prepared to sell Neymar if a good offer comes in.
So far, though, there is no concrete interest in the forward.
