Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar is the top transfer target for Barcelona this summer, according to both Diario Sport and El Mundo Deportivo.
Neymar failed in his attempts to force through a move back to the Catalan giants last year after becoming frustrated with life in Paris.
But according to the Spanish newspaper, Neymar is still determined to return to Barca amid a ‘climate of tension’ between him and his fellow Brazilian Leonardo.
The former Santos forward left the Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017 for a world record €222m fee, but reports continue to suggest he may be open to a departure from the Parisians.
Mundo Deportivo believe Barca will have to pay around €175m to land the 28-year-old, who has 16 goals in 20 appearances this season. Based on Barcelona’s debt and high wage bill, there will be some questions as to whether they can actually afford that size of transfer.
It is said that Neymar will look to use a FIFA clause to push through his departure after spending three full seasons in the French capital.
The agreement means players who have spent that amount of time, or three years, can leave in exchange for compensation, providing they were younger than 28 when they signed their contract.
The compensation is calculated by taking into account the depreciation of the player’s last transfer fee and the gross salary that he would have to collect.
PSG and their owners, Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), will be reluctant to sell their most expensive signing and just last month, Leonardo insisted that there was no issue with Neymar and claimed that he was ‘committed’ to PSG.
‘Neymar was born this way,’ Leonardo told Canal+ after a 4-2 Ligue 1 win over Lyon. ‘God gave him his talent and what he is doing is tremendous.
‘Today, if we talk about the pitch, what are we saying? He is committed, very happy and a fantastic player. He is very fit. We are happy to have him. Wonderful.’
Neymar has been derailed in the French capital by injuries, he has been involved in just 52 of a possible 103 Ligue 1 matches since his switch in the summer of 2017, in which he has scored 47 goals.
