Neymar ‘wants to Barcelona return’ just over a year after controversial £198m exit for PSG

NEYMAR wants to make an emotional return to Barcelona just over a year after leaving, it has been claimed.

The Brazilian quit the Spanish giants in the summer of 2017 for a controversial £198million move to Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar is being linked with a move back to Barcelona next summer

But according to reports in Spain, the 26-year-old is now growing increasingly keen to secure a move back to the Nou Camp at the end of this season.

Titles AS and Mundo Deportivo suggest the forward misses life in Barcelona and is desperate to get back to the city.

They say he is becoming frustrated with the lack of competitiveness on the French league — something that could easily have been predicted from the outset.

One of the major reasons why he opted to leave Barca in the first place was the fact Lionel Messi was the main man at the club with everyone else playing second fiddle.

Neymar is reported to be missing life playing for Barcelona

It was hoped his move to PSG would allow him to flourish and finally challenge Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for the Ballon d’Or.

But though he has performed well in Paris, his status as the big star at the club is seriously under threat by the brilliance of Kylian Mbappe.

The French teenager is well on the way to becoming a genuine superstar of the world game and is increasingly the big star in Paris.

So with that status not even guaranteed for Neymar, the lure of PSG and Ligue 1 is becoming less appetising by the month.

It is suggested that he has been making his feelings known behind the scenes in an effort to engineer a move to Barca next summer.

At one stage, such was the fall-out of his move away, it would have been unthinkable for Barca to even consider such a deal.

But officials at the Nou Camp are now more relaxed about the idea and appear to be willing to be open to the prospect.

However, there are two major stumbling blocks to such a transfer being agreed — firstly the money and secondly whether Barca actually even need him.

The emergence of Kylian Mbappe has challenged the status of Neymar as the superstar at PSG

It has been claimed a final decision on whether to pursue the transfer rests with the coaching team, and if they decide the team is already well balanced and served in attack, then nothing will happen.

Even if the choice is he would be a useful signing, Barca would then have to come up with a huge fee — similar to the £198m PSG paid — to tempt the French club into selling.

One of the reasons PSG invested heavily in the player was to increase their global standing as a brand.

Two seasons on the payroll might just be enough for them to concede he has served his purpose but with Financial Fair Play worries, they would want a massive fee to come onto their balance sheets.

Real Madrid are also said to be interested in signing Neymar, which is reportedly one of the reasons Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave the Bernabeu.