Neymar can leave Paris Saint-Germain if the right offer comes in, according to the club’s sporting director Leonardo.
In a clear indication of the French club’s growing impatience with the Brazilian, Leonardo told Le Parisien:
‘Neymar can leave PSG if there is an offer that suits everyone.
‘At the moment we don’t know if anyone wants to buy him or at what price. All this can’t be sorted out in one day, that’s for sure.
Neymar failed to turn up for pre-season training with the rest of the squad on Monday just days after Barcelona’s president Josep Bartomeu admitted:
‘We know Neymar wants to leave but we also know PSG don’t want to sell him.’
Asked if there had been any contact with Barcelona, Leonardo said:
‘We have not received any offer, but it’s true we have had superficial contact [with them].’
The discussions between intermediaries over Neymar’s possible return to Barcelona have been an open secret this summer with the player’s camp briefing the Catalan press.
Barcelona’s problem is funding the deal and making room for the player in the squad. They already have Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele and are expected to announce the signing of Antoine Griezmann later this week.
Coutinho is understood to be open to being used in a deal with PSG but Barcelona would also need to sell Dembele, who club president Bartomeu declared as ‘better than Neymar’ on Friday.
Leonardo called into question Barcelona’s ability to follow through on a possible purchase of the player they sold to PSG two years ago for 222m euros.
He said: ‘They have said that they want to buy but that we are not a selling club. It was their president that said that. But we have not seen that Barcelona are in a position to really buy [the player].’
Leonardo also did little to hide his anger at Neymar’s no-show at training on Monday.
He said: ‘He has commitments with his foundation and his sponsors, but they are not dates that are agreed with the club. His holidays were up until July 8 and he has not arrived.
‘I don’t know when he will come back. The only thing I know is that he was meant to be back on July 8.
‘These things don’t just happen at PSG. There are other similar cases. We see it everywhere, at Manchester and other clubs, that players want to leave.’
Asked if the player had told the club he wants to leave, Leonardo added:
‘That’s clear to everyone.
‘In football one thing gets said and then the next day something else. It’s incredible but that’s how it is.
‘We have spoken with his people. Everyone’s position is clear. But he has a contract with us for three more years and as we have received no offer there is nothing to discuss.’
