Skip to content

Report: Barcelona call off pursuit of Neymar

Lintao Zhang / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Barcelona have ended their efforts to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou, but will launch another pursuit of the Paris Saint-Germain star next summer, sources told Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden of ESPN.

Barca reportedly submitted multiple offers for the Brazilian attacker throughout the summer but were unable to strike a deal with the reigning Ligue 1 champions.

The saga isn't over just yet, though.

The Spanish side remains interested in bringing Neymar back to the Catalan capital, with Llorens and Marsden adding that next summer will bring with it another round of negotiations.

The 27-year-old made his desire to rejoin Barcelona clear, but PSG sporting director Leonardo was adamant that he would only be shipped off if a suitable offer arrived.

PSG were looking to recoup much of the €222 million they spent to sign Neymar in 2017, but Barcelona, who've already spent big this summer on the likes of Antoine Griezmann, weren't able to satisfy that demand.

Barca reportedly tried to include various players in a potential deal as makeweights, with the likes of Ivan Rakitic, Ousmane Dembele, and Philippe Coutinho offered up. But none of those deals materialized, and when the latter was sent to Bayern Munich on loan, the Catalans' best bargaining chip was removed from the equation.

La Blaugrana then explored the possibility of a loan move for Neymar with an option to buy, but PSG weren't interested in the payment structure.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox