Paris Saint-Germain will entertain offers for Neymar this summer following his expressed desire to part ways with the club. PSG will evaluate offers ranging from £50m to £80m, taking into account the identity of the potential buyer, for Neymar, who currently holds the title of the most costly player in the world.
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In 2017, Neymar was signed by Paris Saint-Germain for a record-breaking fee. However, despite Neymar's desire to return to Barcelona, their financial difficulties make it challenging for them to afford his transfer.
PSG's management has been informed that Neymar has expressed his desire to depart, despite their denials. With three years remaining on his £25m-a-year contract, the question of whether Neymar is voluntarily leaving or being forced out remains. At 31, he is not considered a vital player for newly appointed head coach Luis Enrique as he strives to construct a fresh team. PSG has displayed willingness to sell Neymar in order to concentrate on assembling a more youthful and determined squad.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, USA and Europe are all expected to try and sign the player this summer. There were discussions with Chelsea in January.
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PSG want to move on from their Galactico era with Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi
Paris has had a tumultuous summer with the departure of Lionel Messi and the highly publicized standoff involving Kylian Mbappe. The club declined to comment when approached by We News, but it is believed that the Brazilian superstar, who is contracted until 2025, has not yet officially conveyed his desire to leave to the club's executives.
The club has accepted the inevitable: either they will sell France striker Mbappe this summer or they will lose him for free next summer, as his contract expires. With Messi's departure to Inter Mami earlier this summer, the potential departure of Neymar and Mbappe from PSG will truly signify the end of an era.
The club aims to shed their past reputation, described by their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi as a superficial and flashy image, and focus on nurturing homegrown talent instead of recruiting high-profile superstars. Neymar, having been signed by PSG from Barcelona in 2017 for a fee of €222m (£200m at the time), could be seen as the prime example of their previous strategy.
Since joining PSG, he has secured the Ligue 1 title in France on five occasions but has been unsuccessful in adding another Champions League trophy to his name, having won one with Barca in 2015.
Meanwhile, in the midst of contract negotiations, Mbappe has been excluded from PSG's primary training group.
PSG sources believe that he has already secured an agreement to join Real Madrid once his contract expires, entitling him to a €160m signing-on fee as a free agent.
It is understood that PSG has even proposed a new contract to Mbappe, incorporating a clause that guarantees his sale for a fee next summer. However, sources reveal that his representatives have rejected any discussion or acceptance of this offer, as well as any other offers made by the club.
PSG granted Al Hilal the authority to engage in negotiations with Mbappe following their record-breaking £259m offer last month. However, it was reported that Mbappe and his representatives rejected the opportunity to meet with a delegation from the Saudi club during their visit to Paris.
Chelsea and Barcelona are also reportedly attempting to formulate trade deals involving players and cash in order to acquire Mbappe, who achieved victory with France in the 2018 World Cup and displayed remarkable performances at the recent finals held in Qatar.
'PSG want to end Galactico culture'
According to our chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol, Neymar's desire to rejoin Barcelona may face significant obstacles due to the club's current financial struggles.PSG's plan for the future is to create a younger and more ambitious team consisting mainly of French players. Although they will still recruit foreign players, they have shown interest in signing Ousmane Dembele. This is evident as they cunningly activated his release clause in his contract with Barcelona. Barcelona may be retaliating by attempting to sign Neymar in an effort to unsettle PSG, as they feel PSG took Dembele from them at a low price of only €50m.
"PSG aims to put an end to the Galactico culture. It could be argued that this star-studded approach suited the club's Qatari owners, especially after hosting the Qatar World Cup last December. However, now that this phase is over, these players are deemed dispensable.
"It is evident that PSG's future does not rely on players like Kylian Mbappe or Neymar. Instead, their focus lies on talents such as Dembele and Goncalo Ramos - the upcoming Benfica striker they are set to sign. The club desires individuals who demonstrate unwavering dedication to PSG. Neymar is viewed as a representation of the past, not the future."
Ramos completes move from Benfica
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Goncalo Ramos has completed his move from Benfica
PSG announced on Monday that they have acquired Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos from Benfica on a season-long loan, with the option to purchase. In joining Paris Saint-Germain, the 22-year-old expressed immense joy and pride, acknowledging PSG's status as one of the world's top clubs with an exceptional squad.
Ramos, who joined Benfica's academy at the age of 12, made his debut for the club in 2020. He showcased his prowess by scoring 41 goals and providing 16 assists in 106 appearances for the Portuguese champions. In his first World Cup start, he garnered attention by scoring a remarkable hat-trick, stepping in for the legendary goal scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, and aiding Portugal in reaching the quarter-finals.
Ramos has joined PSG, along with new signings Marco Asensio, Milan Skriniar, Lee Kang-in, Hugo Ekitike, Lucas Hernandez, and Manuel Ugarte. In July, PSG dismissed manager Christophe Galtier and brought in former Barcelona and Spain coach Luis Enrique. Additionally, the Ligue 1 champions are nearing the completion of a deal to acquire France forward Ousmane Dembele from Barcelona.
Explained: Why Dembele wants to leave Barca for PSG
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Ousmane Dembele signed for Barcelona in 2017
Ousmane Dembele openly expressed his contentment with being at Barcelona just a month ago; however, he now desires to depart for Paris Saint-Germain.
After joining Barca from Borussia Dortmund for a staggering £135m in 2017, Dembele had expressed his eagerness to engage in contract negotiations with the club before his current deal ends in 2024.
In June, during an interview with Marca, the 26-year-old expressed, "The extensive speculation regarding PSG confuses me. Perhaps it arises due to my French nationality. Nonetheless, everything is going splendidly. Barcelona shows interest in extending my contract until 2027, and my representative will engage in discussions with them. I am content with both the team and my life in Barcelona. Thus, only time will tell what unfolds."
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With limited progress seen in the extension, the latest reports suggest that changes in the dynamics at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have occurred. But amidst all this, a question arises: which players will be making their moves this summer when the transfer window commences on June 14 and concludes at 11pm in England and midnight in Scotland on September 1?Keep up to date with all the latest transfer news and rumours in our dedicated Transfer Centre blog on We' digital platforms. You can also catch up with the ins, outs and analysis on We News.