The latest chapter in the Barcelona-PSG-Neymar saga sees the Brazilian forward storming out of training and cancelling a media appearance in China because he has to deal with some ‘transfer business’. Sounds like the end, right?
Maybe, maybe not. PSG still have to pay the €222 million release clause, although as we’ve seen in the past, that doesn’t guarantee anything (ask Manchester United about the first time they tried to sign Ander Herrera). And right now the French club isn’t that keen on paying the whole some, possibly trying to work out some deal that involves Marco Verratti going to Barcelona.
In any case, this isn’t a story about a ruthless rich giant that’s ruining the sport taking away a home grown talent from a small club that can’t hold on to it’s biggest talents. Neymar himself was a mega signing in 2013, and under some very shady circumstances.
Whether Neymar is simply sensing it’s time to go because Barcelona are on the decline, wants to be the leading player, wants his father to make more money through a transfer or just afraid of the shady tax dealings coming back to bite him, there’s nothing about this story to suggest Barcelona are being shown the short end of the stick. In a war between clubs that have positioned themselves above everyone else financially, it’s hard to be sympathetic towards any side, no matter how some people are trying to spin the story.