Barcelona are reportedly set to rekindle their interest in Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar after Lionel Messi informed the club of his desire to leave
It’s been an utterly disappointing campaign for Barcelona as they surrendered the La Liga title to Real Madrid and suffered a horror Champions League elimination to Bayern Munich.
Frustration boiled over at Camp Nou in the wake of a humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern in the Champions League quarter-finals, with Leo Messi informing the club of his desire to part ways.
It’s been five years since the ‘Blaugrana’ last won Europe’s elite competition, and the repeated failures over the past few years have made the 33-year-old doubt their sporting plans.
Since Barcelona want to keep their stalwart in Catalonia at all costs, they are thinking of reigniting interest in their former star Neymar, currently at the ranks of PSG.
According to the Daily Mail, Josep Maria Bartomeu is ready to offer up to £55million plus Antoine Griezmann to tempt reigning Ligue 1 champions into a deal.
LAST MINUTE! 🚨
— Davies (@davies03175456) August 16, 2020
Journalist Marcelo Bleisher: correspondent in Barcelona, Lionel Messi has communicated to the sports management of FC Barcelona the decision to leave the team THIS SEASON.
* Remember that this journalist is the first to publish news of Neymar's departure. pic.twitter.com/nac6o6h7kU
Griezmann has never managed to live up to €120million Barcelona paid to Atletico Madrid last summer, often struggling with form and consistency.
Indeed, the 29-year-old has never been close to his Wanda Metropolitano best, netting just nine goals in 35 La Liga appearances for the Catalan side.
Neymar, who swapped Barcelona for PSG in 2017, has frequently been linked with a return to a place where he made a name for himself.
The Brazilian star was part of the Barca team that won the Champions League title in 2014/15, and Bartomeu believes his return could spark the Catalans’ winning mentality.
Neymar and his current teammates are going to challenge RB Leipzig for their first-ever Champions League final after performing a miraculous late comeback to dump Atalanta in the quarter-finals.