Chelsea STEP UP Neymar interest as PSG change transfer stance

Robin Bairner

• 14 Jul 2023 07:10 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea are ready to step up their chase for PSG winger Neymar, according to a report from France.

The Blues have been tentatively surveying the possibility of signing the Brazil star for the best part of a year, but while there has been interest, it has yet to amount to anything.

According to Le Parisien, a respected broadsheet, Chelsea are poised to increase the pace to sign the 31-year-old former Barcelona star.

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Rather than considering a loan deal for the player, it is reported that the Blues are now considering a permanent transfer – a task that would take between €50-70 million to complete.

Chelsea have reportedly sounded out Neymar’s entourage about the possibility of such a deal, which would see the Blues likely have to match the player’s wages of €26m (£22m) after tax each year.

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Would PSG sell Neymar?

PSG might have been willing to sell Neymar last summer, but that is not necessarily the case this summer. Indeed, the club did everything they could to offload him a year ago, with the possibility of a free loan to Manchester City one of the possibilities they tried.

It is unclear what new head coach Luis Enrique, who has reportedly made Lyon winger Bradley Barcola his priority signing this summer, wants to do with Neymar, who he previously coached at Barcelona. The player easily has the versatility to fit into his plans however.

With Lionel Messi having departed and Kylian Mbappe pushing to leave at the end of his contract in 2024, president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is reticent to allow the Brazil star leave at his point. It is stated, though, that “he will not be able to oppose the will of his superstar if he decides to join a third European club after Barcelona and PSG”.