Neymar has not made secret of his desire to want to play with close friend Lionel Messi again after leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. Almost every summer since then the Brazilian has been linked with a move back to the Camp Nou and it was the same this summer.

Prior to Messi's shock departure from Barcelona to join PSG on a free transfer, the Catalan club's newly-elected president Joan Laporta again tried to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou to play alongside the Argentine forward. He was keen to see the duo shine together in Barcelona, but his approach was unsuccessful.

According to Spanish publication Sport, Laporta sent a two-man team to hold talks with Neymar in Paris earlier in the summer. The initial discussions were fruitful after the Brazil international expressed interest in returning to the Camp Nou to play alongside Messi.

However, the possibility of the move came to an abrupt halt when the PSG hierarchy heard about the approach from Barcelona. It is claimed by the report that €20 million (£17.1m) was deposited in Neymar's father's account to ensure the player's interest in moving to the Camp Nou remained just a dream.

The money to the Brazilian's father's account was not supposed to have come from any of PSG's official accounts. In the end, PSG not only convinced Neymar to remain at the club in the short-term but also got him to agree an extension, and have now fulfilled his dream of playing alongside the Argentine again.

PSG had a phenomenal summer transfer window with Messi not being the only top star to arrive at the Parc des Princes. They also signed in-demand free agents Gianluigi Donnarumma, Georginio Wijnaldum and Sergio Ramos, while also adding right-back Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan for around €70 million including add-ons.

Neymar
A spokeswoman for Neymar told the Wall Street Journal that the Brazilian attacker denies the allegation that he sexually assaulted a Nike employee in 2016 FRANCK FIFE/AFP
Barcelona FC Barcelona Lionel Messi