BEVERLY HILLS, December 03, (THEWILL) –Â Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward, Neymar Jr, has made public his dreams of reuniting with Barcelona and Argentine genius, Lionel Messi, next summer.
Neymar, who switched clubs in a 2017 move to the French capital, played alongside Messi and Uruguayan forward, Luis Suarez, in Barcelona’s famous stripes. Together known as “MSN”, an initialisation of their names, they became one of the most dominant attacking trios in football history, netting 364 goals and providing 171 assists in all competitions.
Ever since the Brazilian’s move to PSG, there has been no shortage of rumours strongly linking him with a return to Camp Nou. Even so often, Messi has shown a willingness to play on the same team with the Brazilian once more.
In post-match comments after his brace in PSG’s 3-1 UEFA Champions League win over Man U on Wednesday, Neymar fed the reunion speculations.
“I want to play with him again. What I want most is to enjoy his company again on the pitch. Next year, we have to do that.
“He could even take my spot in the team, there would be no problems for sure. I want to play with him again, and for sure, next year, we have to.”
The Barcelona captain is on the final year of his contract. If a new contract is not signed, he will have the chance to walk away from Camp Nou for free, just as he tried unsuccessfully to force through in the summer of this year.
The 33-year-old appears to be considering his options, especially given the exit of the unpopular club president, Josep Maria Bartomeu and the imminent arrival of his replacement. He may want to see what a new president considers to be the club’s long-term strategy before committing himself.
THEWILL believes the probability of a reunification of these two footballing talents remains high. Yet, Neymar’s return to Barcelona seems the most unlikely. The financial implications alone rule it out especially as the Catalan club is tightening expenditure with the impact of COVID-19 on their purse.
Neymar’s PSG contract expires in 2022. If an extension cannot be negotiated, the Ligue 1 giants may be forced to sell for a reduced price before it is due. But, the easiest path to a reunification of the duo is in Paris.
THEWILL believes not only can PSG accommodate Messi’s sizeable salary but with the skilled Argentine in their squad, they have a shot at actualising the dream of finally bringing the coveted Champions League trophy to La Ville-Lumière, “the City of Lights”.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
