Neymar: Real Madrid want to seal deal before World Cup
The Bernabéu board are attempting to find a way to convince PSG to part with their star player after the Brazilian, tired of life in Paris, looks for an escape route. Jamaica vs USA: Gold Cup live
Real Madrid have identified Neymar as their primary target in the summer transfer window and, as this paper reported last Friday, the player’s father met with representatives of the Bernabéu board in a Paris hotel last month to discuss a possible deal.
Neymar is believed to be keen to make the move to Madrid, having swiftly tired of life in the French capital and Ligue 1. According to his entourage, Neymar has described his time in Paris as feeling “more like five years than five months.” PSG’s elimination from the Champions League is another factor the Brazilian will take into account when weighing up his future but Madrid still have to find a way to persuade PSG to part with their star player.
Real Madrid keen to land Neymar before World Cup
The Bernabéu board would prefer to complete any deal for Neymar before the World Cup kicks off in Russia so that the rest of squad planning for 2018-19 can be addressed in good time, but despite his favourable view of the possibility of a return to Spain, Neymar Sr told Madrid’s emissaries in Paris that it won’t be an easy task to convince PSG to sell.
However, Neymar’s friendship with Marcelo could prove to be a key factor, as well as the presence in Madrid of Casemiro and another compatriot, Vinicíus Júnior, on his way. During PSG’s elimination at the hands of Madrid in the Champions League, Marcelo told Neymar that he would be welcomed with open arms in the Bernabéu dressing room, a sentiment echoed by both Casemiro and Sergio Ramos recently.
