PSG’s sporting director Leonardo has admitted that Neymar could leave the club this summer amid speculation linking the Brazilian with an incredible return to Barcelona.
The 27-year-old is desperate to move back to Spain following two seasons in France and failed to report for PSG’s first day of pre-season training on Monday, much to the club’s annoyance.
After Neymar’s no-show, the club released a statement in which they vowed to take ‘appropriate action’ against the Brazilian over his unauthorised absence.
Neymar’s father, Neymar Sr, later hit back at the club by insisting that they were aware that his son would return later due to pre-arranged commitments with his institute based in Sao Paulo.
It now looks increasingly likely that Neymar will move back to Barcelona with Leonardo admitting that the La Liga champions have made ‘superficial contact’ with PSG.
In an interview with Le Parisien, Leonardo said: ‘It’s clear to everyone [he wants to leave]. But in football, you say one thing today and tomorrow another … It’s amazing but it’s like that.
‘The position is clear for all. But one thing is concrete today: he still has three years of contract with us. And since we have not received an offer, we can not discuss anything.’
Leonardo added: ‘We have not received any offers. But we had, it’s true, very superficial contacts [from Barcelona]. They said they wanted to buy but we were not sellers.
‘Neymar can leave PSG if there is an offer that suits everyone. But to date, we do not know if anyone wants to buy it or at what price.’
Despite winning six trophies with PSG and scoring 51 goals in 58 games for the club, Neymar has had an injury-ravaged time in the French capital and has made no secret of his desire to leave.
During his previous four-year spell with Barcelona, Neymar scored 105 goals in 186 games and helped the club win two La Liga titles, a Champions League and three Copa Del Rey’s.
Neymar left Barcelona in acrimonious circumstances in 2017 when he joined PSG for €222m but that doesn’t appear to have put them off the possibility of signing him for a second time.
