The Neymar Jr. era at Paris Saint-Germain has closed. However, stories from his seven years in the French capital continue to trickle out. The latest reveals that the former FC Barcelona star came to PSG already compromised.
L’Equipe reports (h/t Foot Mercato) that the Brazilian superstar, seeking to step out of Lionel Messi’s shadow and vie for the prestigious Ballon d’Or, reportedly signed with an existing injury.
Neymar’s desire to leave Barcelona led him to sign with PSG despite existing concerns about his right foot. The doubts arose during the medical examination, where doctors allegedly identified a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal.
Despite concerns, PSG signed Neymar, possibly driven by their ambition to secure his services. The medical team determined that they needed to perform urgent surgery to treat the injury.
However, PSG faced a challenging predicament, announcing that their marquee signing, for whom they had broken the transfer record by spending €222 million, would be unavailable for an extended period due to an injury.
The club’s belief that the stress fracture wouldn’t worsen over time proved misplaced. Unfortunately, Neymar’s serious injury against Strasbourg began a tumultuous period.
Neymar, now 31 years old and currently in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal, is facing another extended period away from the field. This time, it is due to a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, adding a new layer of injury battles to his career.
