He’s here to stay
Neymar rules out transfer move, plans to remain at PSG
SAO PAULO: Brazilian superstar Neymar sought to quash speculation about his future, insisting he planned to remain with French giants Paris St Germain.
“I’m staying, I’m staying in Paris, I have a contract,” Neymar told reporters at an auction to raise money for his charitable foundation in Sao Paulo on Thursday.
Neymar, who became the world’s most expensive footballer last year after moving to PSG
from Barcelona in a record 222mil (RM1.1bil) deal, has repeatedly been linked to a move to Real Madrid.
The European champions have issued a series of statements in recent weeks denying they have an interest in signing the 26-year-old striker.
Speculation of a Neymar move to the Bernabeu has intensified in the wake of Cristiano Ronaldo’s shock move to Juventus, a development that has left a vacancy at Real for an elite, superstar player.
“In the face of the constant reports linking PSG’s Neymar Jr to our club, Real Madrid wish to clarify that the club have no intention of making any offer for the player,” a Real statement said last week.
“The two clubs enjoy an excellent relationship and, as such, if Real Madrid were at any stage to consider securing the services of a PSG player, they would approach the club in the first instance.”
Although Neymar insisted on Thursday he was staying in Paris, reports persisted that a move could be on the cards.
British media reports said on Thursday PSG were open to the possibility of selling Neymar.
Real president Florentino Perez, meanwhile, said the club were determined to reinforce their squad following Ronaldo’s departure.
“Real have a great squad that are going to be reinforced with magnificent players,” Perez said earlier this week.
“We are aware of the level of demand of the team each season.
“We are Real Madrid and we always want more.
“We must reinforce the present and at the same time strengthen the future.”
Real however have also been linked to a move for Chelsea’s Belgium World Cup star Eden Hazard, who indicated on Saturday he was keen to leave the London club.
In another development, Neymar took a swipe at his critics on Thursday with a tonguein-cheek video in which he taught children how to dive.
The Brazilian superstar was widely lambasted at the World Cup for his theatrical reactions to challenges which often left the world’s most
expensive footballer wincing and rolling on the ground.
However, on Thursday, he took to Instagram to get his revenge.
“One, two, three, go!” shouted Neymar as around a dozen youngsters fell to the ground of a parking lot.
“That’s a free-kick!” screamed the Brazilian, breaking into fits of laughter. The video was released with a hashtag #ChallengeDAFALTA, the free-kick challenge in Portuguese.
During the recent World Cup, the player’s antics sparked the “Neymar Challenge” where he was widely mocked.
In Mexico, a football club organised a competition in which contestants attempted to roll the entire length of the pitch.
Brazilian superstar Neymar has no intention of leaving Paris St Germain, insisting he planned to remain with the French giants. “I’m staying, I’m staying in Paris, I have a contract,” said Neymar who has repeatedly been linked to a move to Real Madrid. Even the European champions have denied they have an interest in signing the 26-yearold striker. “In the face of the constant reports linking PSG’s Neymar Jr to our club, Real
Madrid wish to clarify that the club have no intention of making any offer for the player,” a Real statement said.
Real, however, have been linked to a move for Chelsea’s Belgium star Eden Hazard, who indicated he was keen to leave the London club.