Neymar is reportedly set to complete a transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Barcelona after a summer of incessant speculation.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sport Italia, the Brazilian will return to the Camp Nou two years on from joining PSG from the Blaugrana for a world-record transfer fee.
“An agreement was reached between clubs and between Barcelona and the player,” Di Marzio said. “In the coming hours the parties will sign on the dotted line and make official Neymar’s return to the Camp Nou—his first home in Europe before becoming the most expensive player in history.”
In 2017, PSG stunned the football world by pulling off the transfer of Neymar after paying the Brazil star’s £198 million buyout clause.
While Neymar has excelled when on the field for PSG, his time at the club has been far from straightforward. Injuries have prevented him from playing a part in the latter stages of both his seasons in Paris.
Ben Hayward of the Evening Standard relayed figures from AS showing how often Neymar has been injured:
There’s also been constant speculation about a move back to La Liga, with Real Madrid the team most strongly linked during Neymar’s first season at PSG. Following the 2018-19 campaign, rumours regarding Barcelona coming back in for their former player intensified.
Now, Neymar appears set to move back to the Catalan giants, with whom he won the UEFA Champions League, two La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey.
He’ll be part of a high-class group of attacking players, with Antoine Griezmann arriving already this summer to join Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez up top.
Barca fans and neutrals around the world will be excited see Neymar link up with Messi and Suarez again, as the trio were sensational in unison during their time together at the Camp Nou.
In their final year together, they were incredibly prolific:
Given the manner in which he left the Blaugrana, Neymar may take some time to win over the Barcelona supporters should the switch go through. However, if he can reach the world-class heights he did in his first spell at the club, he will likely be forgiven.
It will be interesting to see how manager Ernesto Valverde fits all of the attacking talent Barcelona boast into the same side. Given the effort that’s gone in to bringing back Neymar, he will surely be guaranteed a starting spot in his preferred berth on the left flank.
