Barcelona were offered the chance to bring Neymar back to the club this summer, but turned down a move amidst concerns over both the finances involved and the player’s attitude.
Neymar enjoyed a hugely successful spell at the Camp Nou before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, but looks set to move again this summer.
After missing out on Lionel Messi, Xavi could have brought back another one of his ex-teammates, as Neymar was reportedly offered to the club.
However, journalist Ferran Martinez has now claimed that Barcelona rejected the idea of bringing him back. The current financial situation at the club means that the fee and wages involved in such a deal were too high, and there was also some concern about the impact he could have in the dressing room.
Should Barcelona sign Neymar?
The Brazil superstar has had plenty of frustration with injuries during his time in France, but when fit and in form, his quality is still evident. Former PSG manager Christoph Galtier even described him as “world-class” ahead of the World Cup last year despite his fitness troubles.
The winger notched up 35 goal and assist contributions in just 29 games across all competitions last season, and he could have been a level-raiser for Barcelona in terms of output.
Barcelona are already well stocked in attacking areas, but with the likes of Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres linked with moves away, Neymar could have come in as an upgrade on all of their current options.
However, a big move for the attacker will have come at a risk given his injury record and the fallout of his time at PSG. Xavi has built a younger squad in his time at the club, and Neymar’s unreliability may have provided too much of a distraction should he have returned.
Unless one of Raphinha or Ousmane Dembele were to leave on a big-money deal, it would likely not have been worth the risk to sign the Brazilian in what could have been a sensational return to Barcelona.