The Brazilian could leave Parc des Princes at the end of the season, as a slew of injuries and off-field problems have jeopardised his starting spot
Two weeks ago, Neymar was stretchered off in PSG’s Ligue 1 clash with Lille. It was his fourth ankle injury in four years. And it felt like the end of the road in a PSG shirt.
The forward is a brilliant footballer, a world-class showman, and one of the best to ever play the game. But, for PSG, he’s also something of a liability.
At this point, he doesn’t make his team markedly better, and his off-field antics are becoming a massive distraction for the Ligue 1 leaders.
Everything points towards a summer exit. The player needs a fresh start, and the club are perhaps better off without him.
But it’s not easy to get rid of a footballer of his profile.
At 31, Neymar is coming towards the end of his prime, has two years left on his contract, and makes a whopping €1 million(£960,000/$1.1 million) per week.
He doesn’t have a release clause, either, meaning PSG could effectively set their asking price. And it’s unlikely that they’ll let such a prized asset leave on a cut-rate deal.
Still, under the right circumstances, anything is possible. And whichever team brings him in are still getting a lot.
Neymar’s talent is otherworldly, and he’s also a proven winner. He would also be a big money-maker off the pitch, with shirt sales and gameday revenue sure to spike by virtue of his signing.
But there are, of course, some problems.
Neymar is, as already mentioned, injury-prone, occasionally problematic in the changing room, and notably egotistical. Getting him to buy into any system would be immensely difficult.
That doesn’t mean some major clubs won’t be inclined to try, though.
So, who might bring him in, and why? GOAL ranks Neymar’s potential destinations…