Sports
It will be the most stunning European football transfer since Real Madrid snatched Luis Figo back in 2000, and once again Barcelona will be the victims.
Neymar, poised to step out of the shadow of Lionel Messi and into the spotlight at the Parc des Princes, was the player the Catalans boasted about beating the rest of Europe to in 2013.
But they are on the brink of losing him after only four years, for a fee that will smash the existing transfer record.
Neymar has played for Barcelona since 2013 but could now be set for a huge move to PSG
It would be the most stunning European football transfer since Luis Figo joined Real Madrid
'I don't think that will happen,' said Barcelona's technical secretary Robert Fernandez on Monday when asked if a club would meet Neymar's €222million (£196m) buy-out clause.
If that was throwing down the gauntlet to PSG chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi he seems increasingly convinced that accepting the challenge is what it will take to make the French side Champions League winners.
It was Neymar who stopped PSG progressing in last season's Champions League. He starred in that extraordinary 6-5 aggregate win with a brilliant free-kick, a penalty and the assist for the 95th-minute winning goal all in seven sensational minutes.
It seemed to be the night he moved ahead of Messi as Barcelona's most important player. But the crown was not passed down the line.
Barcelona are growing tired of Neymar's playboy lifestyle as he parties with fellow celebrities
The Brazilian went partying with F1 driver Lewis Hamilton after Barcelona's win over PSG
Neymar was sent off for a daft double caution in a 2-0 defeat to Malaga a few weeks later and when he sarcastically clapped the fourth official as he walked off the pitch he incurred a further game's suspension and missed the Clasico two weeks later.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid without him thanks to a 92nd-minute winner from Messi — yet another reminder of just who was No 1 at the Nou Camp and how difficult it would be for Neymar to overtake him.
As Barcelona's season faded Neymar also began to feel that the finger of blame was being pointed his way.
He went partying with Lewis Hamilton the night of the 6-1 win over PSG. He had permission but four days after the celebration with the British Formula 1 driver, who he made friends with last summer on holiday in the US, he missed Barcelona's defeat to Deportivo through injury.
Neymar was one of the stars when Barcelona produced their amazing comeback against PSG
There are worries at Barcelona that Neymar will go the way of fellow Brazilian Ronaldinho
That game also coincided with Neymar's sister Rafaella's birthday and it was pointed out that this was the third year running that he had missed the game being played closest to that particular date in his calendar.
As well as the bond with Hamilton he also became friends with the Canadian singer Justin Bieber. There were frequent trips to London on days off.
And at the end of the season during a training-ground row with Barcelona's then-assistant coach Carles Unzue it was claimed that Unzue warned Neymar not to end up like another Barca Brazilian, Ronaldinho, whose prolific social life ultimately cut short his career.
Unzue is gone but the feeling remains that Neymar is looked upon as the playboy footballer and not the leader of the team. He looks more than happy in the company of Messi and Luis Suarez on the training pitch – the three are as inseparable in training as they are effective during games but there will be no shortage of Brazilian friends waiting for him in Paris.
This week, the Brazilian has been with his friends on a luxury yacht in the party capital of Ibiza
It is believed former Barca coach Carles Unzue warned Neymar not to end up like Ronaldinho
PSG threw themselves wholeheartedly into a late bid to prise Dani Alves away from Pep Guardiola and Manchester City precisely because they knew it would be something else in their favour as they attempted to lu
Neymar, poised to step out of the shadow of Lionel Messi and into the spotlight at the Parc des Princes, was the player the Catalans boasted about beating the rest of Europe to in 2013.
But they are on the brink of losing him after only four years, for a fee that will smash the existing transfer record.
Neymar has played for Barcelona since 2013 but could now be set for a huge move to PSG
It would be the most stunning European football transfer since Luis Figo joined Real Madrid
'I don't think that will happen,' said Barcelona's technical secretary Robert Fernandez on Monday when asked if a club would meet Neymar's €222million (£196m) buy-out clause.
If that was throwing down the gauntlet to PSG chairman Nasser al-Khelaifi he seems increasingly convinced that accepting the challenge is what it will take to make the French side Champions League winners.
It was Neymar who stopped PSG progressing in last season's Champions League. He starred in that extraordinary 6-5 aggregate win with a brilliant free-kick, a penalty and the assist for the 95th-minute winning goal all in seven sensational minutes.
It seemed to be the night he moved ahead of Messi as Barcelona's most important player. But the crown was not passed down the line.
Barcelona are growing tired of Neymar's playboy lifestyle as he parties with fellow celebrities
The Brazilian went partying with F1 driver Lewis Hamilton after Barcelona's win over PSG
Neymar was sent off for a daft double caution in a 2-0 defeat to Malaga a few weeks later and when he sarcastically clapped the fourth official as he walked off the pitch he incurred a further game's suspension and missed the Clasico two weeks later.
Barcelona beat Real Madrid without him thanks to a 92nd-minute winner from Messi — yet another reminder of just who was No 1 at the Nou Camp and how difficult it would be for Neymar to overtake him.
As Barcelona's season faded Neymar also began to feel that the finger of blame was being pointed his way.
He went partying with Lewis Hamilton the night of the 6-1 win over PSG. He had permission but four days after the celebration with the British Formula 1 driver, who he made friends with last summer on holiday in the US, he missed Barcelona's defeat to Deportivo through injury.
Neymar was one of the stars when Barcelona produced their amazing comeback against PSG
There are worries at Barcelona that Neymar will go the way of fellow Brazilian Ronaldinho
That game also coincided with Neymar's sister Rafaella's birthday and it was pointed out that this was the third year running that he had missed the game being played closest to that particular date in his calendar.
As well as the bond with Hamilton he also became friends with the Canadian singer Justin Bieber. There were frequent trips to London on days off.
And at the end of the season during a training-ground row with Barcelona's then-assistant coach Carles Unzue it was claimed that Unzue warned Neymar not to end up like another Barca Brazilian, Ronaldinho, whose prolific social life ultimately cut short his career.
Unzue is gone but the feeling remains that Neymar is looked upon as the playboy footballer and not the leader of the team. He looks more than happy in the company of Messi and Luis Suarez on the training pitch – the three are as inseparable in training as they are effective during games but there will be no shortage of Brazilian friends waiting for him in Paris.
This week, the Brazilian has been with his friends on a luxury yacht in the party capital of Ibiza
It is believed former Barca coach Carles Unzue warned Neymar not to end up like Ronaldinho
PSG threw themselves wholeheartedly into a late bid to prise Dani Alves away from Pep Guardiola and Manchester City precisely because they knew it would be something else in their favour as they attempted to lu
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