Barcelona and Real Madrid linked with moves for Neymar as Zidane plays down speculation

Spanish media reports claim the Brazilian forward is looking to leave Paris Saint-Germain

(FILES) In this file photo taken on February 17, 2018 Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar Jr looks on during the French Ligue 1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Strasbourg at The Parc des Princes in Paris.
On February 28, 2018 Paris Saint-Germain said Brazilian superstar Neymar, the world's most expensive footballer, will undergo surgery on his foot and ankle injury in Brazil at the end of the week. / AFP PHOTO / CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT
Powered by automated translation

Neymar already regrets moving to Paris Saint-Germain and is seeking a shock return to Barcelona, according to reports in the Spanish media on Friday.

In the same week that PSG crashed out of the Uefa Champions League, and only seven months after he joined the club for a world record €222 million (Dh1 billion), Neymar´s future has become uncertain.

Spanish sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo claims the Brazilian, recovering from surgery on a broken foot in Brazil, has made contact with Barca to ask how he can engineer a return.

The article adds Neymar has explained he made a mistake in leaving the club, was wrong to want independence from Lionel Messi and has been disappointed by the standard of opposition in Ligue 1.

Barca, however, is not the only club Neymar is reportedly targeting as a potential way out of PSG.

_____________

Read more

_____________

Madrid-based newspaper AS reports Neymar´s father has met with Real Madrid, who are ready to pay €400m to sign the striker.

Asked about the speculation on Friday, Real coach Zinedine Zidane said: "Neymar could play in all the clubs because he is very good, like many players.

"I´m not going to talk about a player that is not mine. On the 400 million, they paid 220 million and when they bought me they paid 72.

"It seemed crazy to me and 10 years later they are paying 220 million. It can be that in the next 10 years someone will pay 400m, or sooner, I do not know."

Mundo Deportivo concedes Neymar´s courting of Barcelona may even be a tactic to justify a move to Real, given the Catalan club are likely to reject any chance to re-sign the 26-year-old.

Barcelona are still embroiled in a financial dispute over a bonus due to Neymar last summer, which the club cancelled when they believe it became clear he was moving to PSG.

Neymar missed PSG's last 16 loss to Real on Tuesday after undergoing surgery on a broken foot in Brazil last week.