Unlike last summer, there has not been much buzz surrounding a potential transfer deal between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain over Neymar. With the recent shutdown in play due to the coronavirus coupled with the resumption of the UEFA Champions League next month, the focus for both clubs has currently shifted away from resuming any such negotiations for the Brazilian forward.
Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu is also not currently all on board with any potential deal for the forward. In an exclusive interview with the Spanish-based outlet Mundo Deportivo, Bartomeu spoke about the difficult and uncertain route that both clubs would need to take in order to orchestrate such a transfer deal.
“Now we are making decisions and the players, if they do not come from the exchange of footballers, it is very difficult for them to come,” Bartomeu said.
Any possible mega transfer deal in Europe this summer is expected to be quite difficult to pull off due to the coronavirus shutdown. With many teams not projected to reach initial revenue targets, club board officials from within the premier sides on the continent have had to become conservative with their summer transfer plans. Bartomeu alluded to this in the interview, as he noted that the pandemic made the market “complex.” Thus, teams would need to be creative in order to string together blockbuster transfer deals, such as one for Neymar.
Bartomeu’s preference to negotiate a deal for the Brazilian by offering players in return is not new. Last summer, there was a multitude of rumors and reports revolving around Barcelona offering multiple players and cash to PSG for the Brazilian talent. In one such ESPN report from last August, Barcelona had offered Philippe Coutinho, Ivan Rakitc, and €100 million for Neymar, but PSG never budged.
At the moment, it seems that Neymar will be back for another season with PSG.
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