Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has shown a keen interest in signing the world’s most expensive player, Neymar, along with his Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) teammate, Kylian Mbappé.
The football stars were warmly welcomed in Paris as Mbappé joined PSG on loan from Monaco until June 30, 2018, with an option to purchase thereafter. Neymar, who made headlines with a record transfer fee of €222 million, is expected to stay at PSG until 2022.
However, Neymar has other ambitions. He reportedly desires a move to Real Madrid in order to boost his chances of winning the coveted Ballon d’Or. Sources indicate Neymar has told PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi that if he doesn’t secure a UEFA Champions League title or the Ballon d’Or within two seasons, he will seek to leave Paris.
This ambition is understandable since players who secure both their domestic league and the UEFA Champions League titles are typically the top contenders for the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.
Regarding Mbappé, Florentino Perez was quoted saying, “Mbappé is only 18; let him develop and see how far he can go. We have world-class talent. Signing Neymar now while waiting for Mbappé to mature is not a bad plan.” You can read more about this in an interview Perez gave to El Partidazo de COPE.
Meanwhile, Neymar’s father has also held talks with Real Madrid aiming to facilitate his son’s move to Spain. A direct transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid would have been complicated, making Neymar’s stint at PSG a step towards returning to Spain as a more complete player.
It’s worth noting that the French Ligue 1 isn’t as competitive as the Spanish La Liga, the English Premier League, or Serie A in Italy. Nevertheless, PSG are hoping to claim their maiden UEFA Champions League trophy this season.
That could be a challenging feat, especially with the competition constantly intensifying. Real Madrid will be a formidable foe in the Round of 16.
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