‘Nothing is expected by Monday’ – PSG doubt they can agree Neymar deal with Barcelona

Paris Saint-Germain doubt they will receive an acceptable offer from Barcelona for Neymar ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline, according to the French club’s sporting director Leonardo.

The Brazilian has been at the heart of a summer-long transfer saga with Barcelona and Real Madrid both reportedly keen on bringing him back to Spain just two years after his his world-record €222 million (£201m/$254m) transfer from Camp Nou.

PSG have admitted they are willing to let the 27-year-old go but insist they will need to receive a strong offer in order to sanction a deal.

Neymar has yet to feature for PSG in Ligue 1 this season with the saga looking set to rumble on right up to Monday’s transfer deadline.

Speaking after the club’s 2-0 win against Metz on Friday, Leonardo reiterated PSG’s willingness to let Neymar leave, but stressed that it was up to Barcelona to come up with an acceptable offer before the deadline.

“Our position was always clear, they always knew what we wanted, it was clear in every way,” he told reporters. “The first written offer was on August 27th, five days before end of the transfer window, we were even open to talking to other players to do the deal, but we never had an agreement on what we wanted.

“It all depends on Barcelona, we are three days from the end of the transfer window. Today, the agreement is not there. We were open but we are three days from the end of the transfer window.

“Neymar’s position has always been clear, our position too, and if an offer that satisfied us arrived, he could leave, that’s not the case. The position was clear to everyone. Everyone knows, we do not agree, we know everything, we talk each other, Barcelona makes proposals, we accept or not.

“We tell the truth, we were open to his departure only if an offer satisfied us, this offer has not arrived, nothing is expected by Monday.”

Leonardo also conceded that even if he stays at the club Neymar’s relationship with PSG is “not ideal” and that they had already begun to consider replacements.

“We wanted a replacement and other players to complete, we were open to that,” he added.

“He is an extraordinary player, I did not know him, and over time, I appreciate his way of being, he’s a good guy, but it’s normal that we want to have the best possible relationship with him, and today it’s not the ideal relationship.”