Neymar's Camp Rubbishes Rumours of Brazilian's Return to Barcelona

Neymar has reportedly been exploring the possibility of reuniting with his former club Barcelona over the past few years. Currently contracted with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, Neymar has been linked with a return to Spain on several occasions but that never happened. According to Jijantes transfer specialist Gerard Romero, the Brazilian star has once again offered himself to Barcelona. The LaLiga outfit aims to sign a left-wing forward in this summer window, scheduled to be closed in the coming few days. Neymar perhaps sees himself as a good candidate for the vacancy and his interest has reportedly caught the attention of the newly appointed Barcelona boss, Hansi Flick.

Considering their ongoing financial struggle, Barcelona may find it difficult to cover the hefty wage bills of Neymar. The 32-year-old forward has an annual salary of over €150 million at Al Hilal. Even if the Barcelona hierarchy could make any arrangement to felicitate his return, Hansi Flick seems not quite interested in signing Neymar, the Jijantes report claimed. The Brazilian’s current contract with Al Hilal will expire next summer.

According to transfer market specialist Fabrizio Romano, Neymar’s camp has recently addressed the rumours of his potential return to Barcelona. “The articles on Ney’s return to Barca from Al Hilal are LIES and tremendous disrespect for Al Hilal and the athlete. Neymar is under contract with Al Hilal and he’s happy in Riyadh,” his representatives have stated, as per Romano.

Neymar wrapped up his glorious spell with Barcelona in 2017. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) broke the bank for him. The French club triggered a €222-million release clause to secure his signature, shattering the world transfer record.

During his six-year stay at PSG, Neymar reportedly made some attempts to rejoin Barcelona. In 2020, the Catalan giants, reportedly, submitted a €110-million bid for Neymar while also offering three players– Ivan Rakitic, Ousmane Dembele and Jean Clair Todibo– on loan. The amount failed to convince PSG, who reportedly demanded €130 million for the star footballer. Neymar again, reportedly, offered his services to Barcelona in the summer of 2021 when Lionel Messi left the club. The potential deal reportedly collapsed due to monetary issues.