Why does Neymar want to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Barcelona?

As if one transfer saga wasn’t enough for Paris Saint-Germain, they are now also involved in two more. Kylian Mbappé's rumoured move to Real Madrid (or perhaps even MLS...) has briefly taken a back seat, with the Ligue 1 outfit being forced to bide their time to get a deal for Ousmane Dembélé over the line. Now, Neymar has officially informed the club of his intention to leave Paris before the end of the transfer window, according to L’Équipe. The Brazilian wants to return to Barcelona who are, however, not interested in a reunion.

Neymar unhappy with PSG reaction to ultras incident

In May, the 31-year-old was the targeted by hundreds of PSG ultras, who turned up outside his home and demanded that he leave the club. The tension between the player and supporters had appeared to have subsided somewhat, although Neymar hasn’t forgotten about the unsavoury incident. Following the events, PSG president Nasser Al Khelaïfi put the forward up for sale, although the arrival of Luis Enrique as head coach, who successfully worked with him at Barça, had looked set to lead to the Brazil international staying put.

According to L’Équipe’s report, Neymar is unhappy with the perceived lack of protection shown by PSG to their players, with the aforementioned incident cited as exhibit A. The former Santos star has even cast doubt on whether he will play for the Ligue 1 champions when they start the defence of their title against Lorient at the Parc des Princes on Saturday.

PSG now want Neymar to stay after pre-season

Ironically, the latest developments come at a time when Al Khelaïfi, who already has plenty on his plate with Mbappé, has been convinced that Neymar could still be a key player for PSG. Pre-season defeats against Japanese side Cerezo Osaka and Inter led to concerns over the team’s lack of attacking firepower, but the Brazilian scored twice and provided an assist for Marco Asensio in the victory over Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea, his first match in almost six months.

No Neymar or Mbappé as PSG start the season

But while the French giants’ position on Neymar’s future has changed, the player has taken a step toward ensuring it continues elsewhere. Al Khelaïfi was informed on Sunday that the winger wants out as soon as possible, putting the club in a difficult predicament, with Mbappé also set to remain on the sidelines. The end of the summer transfer window is expected to be a frantic period for PSG, who in all likelihood will start the season without two of their biggest names.