Neymar CLOSE to Barcelona return after Bernardo Silva REJECTION
Tom Weber
- Updated: 7 Aug 2023 06:37 CDT
- 3 min read
Barcelona are ready to move on from Bernardo Silva to focus on signing Neymar - but everything will depend on head coach Xavi.
The Manchester City star is Xavi's preferred transfer option, but striking a deal has proved exceptionally tough given Barcelona's financial restrictions. Rebuffed by City and with Pep Guardiola desperate to keep Silva at the club, it appears increasingly unlikely that Xavi will get his man.
Neymar, on the other hand, could be much more attainable. Indeed, Spanish media has been going crazy over the past 24 hours about Neymar's latest links to the Blaugrana. In fact, a deal appears to be closer than ever.
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Last week, it was revealed that Paris Saint-Germain had offered the Brazilian to Barcelona on loan as a kind of reconciliation for snapping up Ousmane Dembele. Xavi apparently rejected the deal as he believes that his former teammate is not needed and that he wouldn't be a good fit for the dressing room.
Any potential deal still depends on the Spaniard - but things have advanced rapidly in recent days.
Neymar to Barcelona possible
According to Gerard Romero, a move that would see Neymar return to Catalonia could get completed quickly. The player is said to be keen and PSG's loan offer still stands, though the 31-year-old would have to take a significant pay cut. Indeed, he may have to surrender as much as half of his salary.
More crucially yet, Barcelona's hierarchy is pushing for the move as they believe that Neymar still has the potential to be a success on and off the pitch. Xavi disagrees, but if he were to yield and greenlight the transfer, the Blaugrana would move quickly to get it over the line.
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Journalist David Sanchez even goes so far as to claim that Neymar will definitely return to his former stomping ground this summer.
