Brazilian football icon Rivaldo holds the opinion that Neymar erred in his decision to depart Camp Nou and sign with Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
“Neymar made a mistake to leave; he must realise this. I would like to see him return to Barcelona and if not to the Camp Nou, for the good of Spanish football I would want to see Real Madrid try to sign him.”
PSG shattered the world transfer record with a staggering £200 million to secure Neymar’s services following his highly successful four-year tenure at Barcelona.
Since his transfer to the French giants, the 27-year-old has notched 32 goals and contributed 19 assists in 33 Ligue 1 appearances, and he is on the cusp of clinching his second consecutive French title.
Nonetheless, his career trajectory at the Parc des Princes has arguably stagnated, with PSG faltering to advance beyond the UEFA Champions League’s round of 16 in both seasons of his tenure.
Neymar was expected to be the pivotal player who would transform PSG into bona fide Champions League contenders, but that ambition has yet to materialise.
In contrast, Barcelona has advanced to the semi-finals of Europe’s premier tournament this season and stands as the favoured team to claim the title.
Ever since the Brazil international departed from Camp Nou, there have been persistent rumours linking him with a return, and Real Madrid is reportedly considering a summer move for him, as mentioned by Daniel Matthews of MailOnline.
Neymar is under contract with PSG until 2022, which means that only a substantial offer would potentially convince the club to part with him this summer.
However, if he remains in Paris for the upcoming season and PSG once again falls short of fulfilling their considerable potential, the prospect of a return to Spain might become a more viable possibility.