The drama that unfolded over FC Barcelona’s public attempt to re-sign Neymar in 2019 was surely frustrating to both the Catalan club and Paris Saint-Germain. Both Barcelona and Neymar aspired for a reunion, while PSG had no serious intention of selling the superstar after just two seasons. But in the end, PSG won the transfer battle as the club retained Neymar.
Not much has been talked about from either side on the behind-the-scenes details of what truly transpired over the 2019 summer transfer window. But now, former Barcelona sporting director Javier Bordas is spilling the beans on the club’s approach over the entire transfer debacle and what broke down talks between the two sides. He detailed this matter during an interview with the Spanish-based outlet Mundo Deportivo.
“I went personally and we really wanted him to come, we tried every possible way,” Bordas said. “We were very close. We got PSG to make us an offer when they never accepted anything for Verratti or Marquinhos or Thiago Silva. We were so close that Neymar thought he was coming. There was a difference of money that his father put but the clubs did not agree to the hour to close the operation. But we were very close to bringing it, it was our idea.”
Bordas also revealed that some players on the first-team proposed having their salary reduced in order for the club to accelerate its push to sign Neymar. More so, Bordas continued on by touching on the reason that Neymar wanted to leave Barcelona for PSG. He did not reveal just why the Brazilian called it quits on his Barca career but did debunk one widely spread rumor regarding the forward supposedly leaving to move away from Lionel Messi’s shadow.
“He explained it to me and he did not tell me this,” Bordas said. “And I don’t think it was because of this. He wants to be number one and he knows that when Messi stops being one, he will be. But he was willing to be number with Messi.”
Somehow, the Neymar transfer dilemma debacle that transpired in 2019 was more chaotic and drama-filled than what played out in 2017.
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