Real go head-to-head with Barcelona in race to sign PSG’s Neymar: Reports

Madrid: Real Madrid will rival Barcelona in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Neymar this summer, according to reports in the Spanish press on Friday.

Madrid have shifted focus to Neymar after the close of the English Premier League’s transfer window on Thursday ended their hopes of signing Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba.

According to Marca, Neymar has “returned to the scene” with the club “believing for some time that the team is lacking a big star up front”.

Sports newspaper AS claims the Brazilian has been offered to Madrid by PSG, who are open to selling if they can either recoup the 222 million euros they spent on him in 2017 or receive half that amount, with players included in the deal.

It means La Liga’s two greatest rivals are set to go head-to-head in the battle to sign Neymar before the Spanish transfer window closes on Sept.2.

Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo says the 27-year-old will wait until Aug.20 for Barcelona to make a decisive move, after which “PSG’s number 10 does not rule out any option in order to leave the French champions, where it is clear he does not want to stay any longer.”

But Mundo adds that “it is clear Neymar wants to play for Barcelona” while Diario Sport agrees, writing that “the winning card Barca continues to hold is the will of the striker to runite with players like Leo Messi and Luis Suarez. With them he has a great understanding on the pitch and also a strong friendship off it.”

Marca believes Madrid also have factors in their favour.

“Neymar’s priority is not to go to Barcelona. His priority is to leave the PSG,” wrote Marca, also citing their “magnificent relationship” with PSG, “quite the opposite” of how the French club view Barcelona.

Luka Modric is mentioned as a possible makeweight while Philippe Coutinho, who reportedly rejected an offer from Tottenham this week, could be included in an offer from Barcelona.

Sport admits whichever team signs Neymar will “inflict a blow on their rivals by snatching a star player from the other’s grasp”.

“From now on, it will be Neymar that decides,” Sport added. “Barcelona want the player to go public but he understands such a move would be risky. If Barca and PSG do not reach an agreement he would be stuck in the French capital for a third year.”

Meanwhile, Neymar said he was “relieved” on Friday after a judge in Sao Paulo dismissed the rape case against the Paris Saint Germain forward citing insufficient evidence.

“I’ll be sincere and I’m not going to say I’m happy, but yes, relieved,” said Neymar in an Instagram post.

The decision -- the final episode in the rape case hanging over the superstar since June -- comes on the recommendation of prosecutors just over a month after police dropped the case citing lack of evidence.

Neymar vehemently denied allegations he raped a Brazilian woman in a Paris hotel in May.

Judge Ana Paula Vieira de Moraes “accepted prosecutors recommendations and demanded the case be dismissed,” a court spokesman told AFP.

Neymar said he would “never forget” this incident due to the “PAIN it caused me, my family and the people who really know me.”

He added: “This scar will remain to remind me at what point people are capable of doing good things, but also of doing BAD things.” Prosecutor Flavia Merlini had argued that the plaintiff Najila Trindade, a Brazilian model, had provided no conclusive evidence of rape against the PSG player.

“What happened between four walls is impossible to know, we have her word against his,” Merlini told reporters.

“We have decided to ask for the closure of the case.” However Merlini said dismissal was not equivalent to acquittal for Neymar, 27, the world’s most expensive footballer.

The case could be reopened at any time should new evidence emerge, she said.

Agence France-Presse