Neymar and his possible return to FC Barcelona: What would be the condition?

The name of Neymar Jr. has once again been in the orbit of FC Barcelona, not because the blue and claret team has shown an open interest in having the services of the player born in Mogi das Cruzes, but rather due to an alleged desire of the '10' of Santos, who, at 33 years old, would be interested in wearing the club's shirt again.

It has even been suggested that Pini Zahavi, the forward's agent, has held talks with the club to explore the possibilities of carrying out this 'last dance'.

The alleged condition that FC Barcelona would have set to consider the signing of Neymar Jr.

According to information from 'SPORT', FC Barcelona would have set a condition to consider the possible addition of Neymar Jr. in the future. According to the mentioned source, for the Catalan team to evaluate the signing of 'Ney', the following request has been raised: "first score 15 goals with Santos and then we will consider your signing".

This request proposes that Barça does not rule out the return of the talented player from the 'Seleção', as long as he can prove that he can return to his best version or at least a version very close to it. By doing this, he would demonstrate that he can be a valuable asset for the Catalan sports project.

At this point, it is worth mentioning that, if his signing is explored in the next summer transfer window, it could be as a free agent. It should be noted that his contract with Santos initially expires on June 30, although a possible renewal with the Brazilian team is not ruled out.

'Ney' is already showing flashes of his quality with Santos

Neymar Jr. seems to be taking this challenge seriously, as, despite not being at his best level in his current spell at Santos, he has shown glimpses of his undeniable quality with three goals and three assists in seven games played with 'Peixe'. These performances earned him a call-up to the 'Canarinha' by Dorival Júnior after more than a year without it, for the 2025 FIFA first match dates against Colombia (at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia on March 20) and Argentina (at the Monumental Stadium on March 25).

CBF released on Friday (28) the list of pre-called players for the next two matches of the Brazilian National Team in the World Cup Qualifiers. Coach Dorival Júnior related 52 athletes. Next week, the coach will announce the 23 called in an event in Rio.
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— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) February 28, 2025

In this context, the question arises of whether Neymar Jr., who seeks to return to Europe to show that he still has a lot of football to offer and can be relevant in a high-level sports project, will manage to convince FC Barcelona, which currently boasts one of the best attacking lines in the world. Likewise, his goal of staying at the elite level to arrive in optimal conditions for the 2026 World Cup adds an incentive to his possible return to the Old Continent.

Will the Catalan club end up considering the signing of the Brazilian magician?

At the moment, according to 'SPORT', there are no ongoing negotiations between FC Barcelona and the entourage of Neymar Jr. For this incorporation to take place, a series of important events will need to occur. Beyond the improvement in the performance of the former Al-Hilal player and his ability to sustain a stellar level, it will be crucial to determine if he fits into Hansi Flick's sports project and if the economic conditions of the transaction are viable.