Messi Sheds Light on Neymar’s Secret Contingency Plan for Failed Barcelona Talks

Lionel Messi, the iconic forward of the Catalan football club Barcelona, said he was adamant that Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, the forward for FC Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), had planned to enter Real after his negotiations with Barcelona failed.

“I really thought Neymar would go to Real if he didn’t come [in Barcelona],” Messi said in an interview with RAC1. “He really wanted to leave Paris and he’d shown it.”

Messi said he expected that Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid, would “do something to sign him.”

Neymar played for Barcelona between 2013-2017 before moving to PSG with a 222 million Euro contract. This summer, he openly stated his intention to return to the Catalan club. However, both Spanish clubs and the PSG failed to strike an agreement, and Neymar for now will remain in PSG.