Neymar may retire at Paris Saint-Germain, says LaLiga president
LaLiga chief Javier Tebas downplayed the lure of Neymar and insisted it is "impossible" for Barcelona or Real Madrid to sign the Brazilian.
Neymar will retire at Paris Saint-Germain unless his salary and asking price are lowered, according to LaLiga president Javier Tebas.
The Brazil forward was strongly linked with a return to LaLiga before the closure of the transfer window on Monday, with both former club Barcelona and Real Madrid said to be interested.
Neymar not "essential" for LaLiga
Tebas, though, reiterated his previous stance that the 27-year-old's return to LaLiga is not required for Spanish football and talked down the chances of Neymar finding a new club if his wage demands remain the same.
"It is always important to have good assets to increase [LaLiga's] value, but he is not essential," Tebas said at the Soccerex Europe congress in Lisbon.
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"If Neymar comes, good. If Neymar doesn't come, I don't see it as essential, because we continue to grow."
Barca were reportedly unwilling to meet the Ligue 1 champions' valuation for Neymar, who made the switch two years ago in a record €222million deal and has three years to run on his PSG contract.
"The problem of not coming back now [to Barcelona] has to do with his own departure for PSG," Tebas said. "It was an off-market transfer, it was only possible to happen with 'traps' to increase sponsorships.
"When you do it out of the market, it is impossible to sell again at this price. In view of the market, Neymar will retire at PSG unless he lowers his salary and also his PSG claims."
Neymar has not featured for PSG since May due to injury concerns and doubts over his future.