PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN

couldn’t beat Barcelona given a four-goal head start, so to defeat them over neymar would no doubt afford great satisfaction, even if it required £196m to make the deal happen. Yet is it such a triumph?

neymar is a beautiful player — he was certainly the star of that famous win over PsG — and, on his game, would improve any team in the world. Yet there are rumours of a party-boy lifestyle, and if he can’t remain focused with Barcelona, why do we imagine his attitude would improve with an inferior club?

if neymar thinks he is doing PsG a favour by signing, expect more of the same. they’ll walk Ligue 1 next season, either way, because monaco are selling their best men, but PsG’s ambitions extend far beyond that, to becoming the first French team to rule europe. Unless he is prepared to get serious, there is no guarantee neymar will deliver.