Paris Saint-Germain have snubbed Barcelona’s initial approach for Neymar, with the Spanish side having offered a host of players including Antoine Griezmann to try and get the deal done.
Barca are keen to strengthen despite the uncertainty surrounding football due to coronavirus, with La Liga still suspended and players training separately at their homes.
They have made Neymar – who left Spain in a world record £198m deal in 2017 – and Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez their top two targets as they look to improve their attack.
However, Catalan newspaper Sport claim that their first contact with PSG through an intermediary has been negative, with the French side not even willing to consider selling the Brazilian right now.
PSG are preoccupied with solving issues such as salary cuts while the Ligue 1 campaign is suspended and they have 11 players whose contracts are up in the summer.
Teams across Europe, not just PSG, are scrambling to work out how to solve the issue of out-of-contract players leaving the club at the end of June.
PSG are also focused on trying to finish the season, as well as the Champions League – having progressed to the quarter-final after beating Dortmund – and will not consider any transfer until those campaigns have been finished, or voided.
Despite PSG’s current stance, Barca are hoping that a deal can be agreed and believe a massive chance has opened up – particularly if FIFA decide to scrap the transfer window for now and instead permit deals to go though until the end of January.
Barca’s hierarchy feel the current situation around world will also lower transfer fees considerably, with teams instead trading and swapping players.
Despite leaving Camp Nou in a controversial fashion, Neymar is privately believed to regret his decision and would welcome a return back to Catalonia in the near future.
