Revealed who was responsible for stopping the 'last dance' between Barcelona and Neymar this summer

In times when there is talk of the need for FC Barcelona to find a top-level left winger to strengthen their attack, the name of an old acquaintance of the house has reemerged: Neymar Jr., a player who used to captivate a significant part of the Culé fan base by bringing Brazilian magic to the Camp Nou a few years ago. However, his adventure as a player for the Blaugrana had a very abrupt ending in 2017 when Paris Saint Germain paid his release clause of around 222 million euros to secure his services.

Since then, there have been countless occasions when rumors have circulated that the talented Brazilian winger could return to wear the Barça shirt. This option, summer after summer, has practically become a tradition, and this year has been no exception. However, this time, it seems that the rumors have been more driven by nostalgic fans on social media than by a real interest from the Catalan club in acquiring the Brazilian. It is worth noting that the Barcelona side has been very clear about their priorities regarding the left winger, moving from Nico Williams to Luis Díaz, from Rafa Leao and now to Federico Chiesa.

In fact, FC Barcelona's lack of interest in 'Ney' has been so evident that, as reported by journalist Gerard Romero on his Twitch podcast, 'Jijantes,' the first to curb the enthusiasm of the '10' of the 'Canarinha' for a return to the Culé squad this summer would have been Hansi Flick himself. Apparently, the German coach did not view him favorably, thus ruling out any possibility for the 32-year-old forward to have a last chance to shine with the team from the City of Counts.

Neymar Jr., a real option for FC Barcelona?

Now, regarding the possible return of Neymar Jr., there are many details to consider. The first and most obvious is that 'Ney' is coming from a period of football inactivity of at least 10 months due to an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus of his left leg. Therefore, it is uncertain in what condition the player will return to action and how long it will take him to regain his best form, something that the Blaugrana side does not need at the moment as they are looking for an immediate impact player in that position.

Furthermore, in economic terms, under what conditions would the former Santos player arrive? There has been constant talk of a loan agreement, which does not seem entirely viable considering that the Mogi das Cruzes player has a contract with the Arab club until 2025 and they will likely want to make the most of their star after spending a large part of his time in Saudi Arabia injured.

However, if they were to let him go, would Neymar and his club be willing to reduce his earnings, which currently amount to the astronomical figure of 100 million euros gross (98 'net kilos')? A sum that only the Arab clubs could cover and that would be a clear hindrance to considering any transaction for the talented left winger.