Neymar will '200%' stay at Barcelona despite €222m PSG rumours

Barcelona are adamant Neymar will stay despite reports linking the Brazil international with a shock world-record move to Paris Saint Germain. Reports in the forward's homeland suggest the Ligue 1 side are ready to match his €222m release clause to lure him away from the Nou Camp

The 25-year-old forward has previously been linked with a move to Manchester United.

Neymar himself confirmed in September that he had held talks over leaving Barca amid suggestions that the player personally met with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi in Ibiza to discuss the move to the French capital

He eventually decided to turn down that offer and instead signed a five-year deal at Barcelona, increasing his release clause to €200m (£177.8m, $231.6m) for the first year of his contract, €222m for the second and €250m for the remaining three.

However, his future at Barcelona has come again into question amid reports claiming that PSG are ready to meet his current buy-out clause.

Marca, AS and Sport all reported on Monday (17 July) that the player was considering making the move to the Ligue 1 side. The latter said that the South American has been encouraged by one part of his entourage to leave Barcelona in order to write his own story away from the shadow of Lionel Messi.

Reports via Cadena Cope later claimed that Neymar's entourage had categorically denied those suggestions, adding that the player is more than happy playing alongside his Messi at Barcelona.

Prestigious French Publication L'Equipe also played down the story by claiming that sources at PSG had ruled out paying the €222m release clause attached to the Barcelona ace.

However, Brazilian publication Esporte Interactivo have added another chapter to the saga, confirming that Neymar has agreed an offer to join the Ligue 1 side and that the deal will be completed in a matter of weeks.

Barcelona will be unable to prevent his departure if Neymar wants to leave and PSG meet his full release clause.

Vice-president Jordi Mestre is however convinced that Neymar will continue at Barcelona.

"He will stay, It's 200 percent," Mestre said during a press conference on Tuesday (18 July), according to Marca. "I have read [in L'Equipe] that [PSG] themselves have categorically denied it."

Meanwhile, the club vice-president insisted that they remain in good terms with PSG despite the Neymar saga and their own interest in signing Marco Verratti from the Ligue 1 side.

"Our relationship with PSG will not change. They will be the same as they have been until now," the Barcelona chief added.