• PSG remain open to selling Neymar before the window closes
• Barcelona and Real Madrid are the only two destinations for the Brazilian
Image: REUTERS
Negotiations between Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain over Neymar’s possible return to the Nou Camp ‘have reached an impasse’.
The French club are willing to let the Brazilian star leave this summer, with Barcelona and Real Madrid the two potential destinations.
But PSG are reportedly stalling the talks by demanding the exchange of three players in addition to a considerable amount of cash.
According to Diario Sport, these demands have seen talks between PSG and Barcelona break down, making Real the favourites to sign the 27-year-old.
Barcelona, the newspaper reports, believe that PSG are being unnecessarily difficult with their demands and want to put them off.
The Nou Camp club do, however, remain in talks with PSG for the time being and have also been in contact with Neymar to sound out the player.
Elsewhere Neymar was the subject of protests from Paris Saint-Germain as supporters called for him to leave the club during their Ligue 1 opening-day win at home to Nimes on Sunday.
The Brazilian, who did not play, has been the subject of interest from former club Barcelona and Real Madrid this summer, and PSG ultras unfurled banners featuring x-rated messages. One banner from supporters read ‘Neymar go away’, while the ultras message said: ‘Neymar - getting ****** by a prostitute doesn’t only happen at a remontada— remember?’
Neymar sat out Brazil’s Copa America campaign on home soil due to injury, with his country going on to lift the trophy. The winger was not missed by his PSG colleagues as they recorded a comfortable victory in their first league game of the season.
Edinson Cavani opened the scoring with a penalty after 24 minutes, before Kylian Mbappe doubled the scoring and Angel Di Maria added a third in the second half.
Before the game, PSG sporting director Leonardo suggested that discussions over a transfer were ‘more advanced than before’.
“I have no news on his future,” PSG boss Thomas Tuchel said on French TV show Canal Football Club.
“He is with us. He was very decisive for us. If we lose Neymar, maybe I will not sleep. Because it would be hard to lose him and find another player who can do the same things for us. Maybe no news is good news. “I’m trying to convince him to stay. But on the other hand, it’s a personal choice. It’s between him and the club.”
Mbappe meanwhile told Canal Plus: “I will not lie and we will see what will happen with the situation of Neymar because it is not the same team without him.
“But we will continue and we will try to give the best of ourselves, for us and our loved ones.”
Asked if he wants Neymar to stay, Mbappe replied: “I already answered and you know it very well! Go talk to him if you want, I’ll give you his number!”