Where will Neymar end up playing this season?

Hello and welcome back to the Brazil Sports newsletter. This week, we’re looking at the latest surrounding the Neymar transfer saga, after the PSG fans turned on him in unambiguous fashion over the weekend. We also have news of Rogério Ceni joining Cruzeiro in their battle to beat the drop. And we have the stats of a historic performance from Brazil at the Pan American Games in Lima. Happy reading!

Another torrid week for Neymar

In the week the rape charges against him were shelved in Brazil, Neymar’s future remains unclear. Set on leaving PSG just two years after having signed for EUR 220 million, the forward was the target of protests from the Parisian club’s support, during their opening league match this weekend.

PSG fans unfurled a banner saying “Neymar, f**k off,” while chants of “Neymar, hijo de puta” rang out from the stands throughout the match. Neymar himself was not in the stadium as his club defeated Nimes 3-0.

With the doors well and truly closed in Paris and sporting director Leonardo admitting that negotiations around his exit are “more advanced,” the question now concerns where Neymar will go next. At this stage, it would appear to be a straight choice between the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona—his former club. 

French media have reported that PSG will dig in for a fee of EUR 200 million for the player, but have offered Real Madrid the option to take Neymar on loan for one year, to purchase him in 2020. A similar proposal made by Barcelona was reportedly rejected.

Though neither side have an evident “need” to sign Neymar, it would be slightly easier to fit him into the squad at Real Madrid. At Barcelona, slotting Neymar into a forward unit already containing Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembélé and new signing Antoine Griezmann, seems improbable. At Madrid, he could realistically take the place currently held by fellow Brazilian Vinicius Júnior.  

Indecent proposal. If Real Madrid or Barcelona don’t work out, Neymar always has a back-up option in the Russian third division. On social media, FC Tyumen declared that they were “ready” to loan Neymar, offering him...