Neymar leaving Barca?

NEYMAR’S chances of leaving Barcelona in this summer’s transfer window are “90%”, a source in Spain close to the player has told Sky Sports News.

It is understood he has decided to leave the club after becoming increasingly frustrated at “playing second fiddle” to Lionel Messi.

“Only a miracle will keep him, he really has made up his mind to leave,” says the source.

“At the age of 25, he thinks it’s his time to win the Ballon d’Or,” the source adds. “He believes he can be the best player in the world at another big club.”

It is understood Paris Saint-Germain remain the only current club willing to meet the player’s €222m (£196m) release clause, with Chelsea and Manchester United unwilling to do so.

It is also claimed Neymar is aware that a “growing number” of supporters do not want him to stay, with recent media polls in Globo Esporte and the Barcelona-based Sport newspaper revealing that the majority of those asked think he should leave.

“Barcelona keep asking him to deny stories and to tell publicly what he told them two days ago - that he’s happy at club. But he’s quiet.” said Guillem Balague, Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert, on Twitter.

“Barcelona expect PSG to pay Neymar’s buyout clause this week,” added Balague. Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has said Neymar is not for sale.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint Germain are confident of signing two star players this season – Neymar from Barcelona and Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal.

If both the deals are succesful, it will become one of the biggest double-signings in the history of club football. According to a report by Le Parisien, France’s leading newspaper, Neymar has told his teammates of his intention to sign at PSG while some Barcelona players even think that the deal is already acquired. Skysports/Indian Express