‘Unwanted’ Neymar wants to stay but PSG may offload Ramos, others

Despite PSG’s intention to sell Neymar this summer, the Brazilian’s contractual situation makes a transfer during the summer window difficult.

In 2022, the club put him up for sale, but he exercised a clause in his contract that allowed him to renew automatically until 2027, in a deal that increased his salary.

According to The Athletic, Neymar’s intention is to honour his entire contract. PSG’s No 10 feels happy in Paris and is aware that, at 31, there is no other team in Europe, not even Chelsea, that can come close to his economic demands.

The ankle injury he suffered in February, on which he underwent surgery last week in Doha, also reduces the likelihood of a departure in the coming months.

Since arriving in 2017, Neymar has led PSG in a phase of growth. With 13 domestic titles and an extraordinary increase in the club’s revenue, the Brazil international has yet to win the Champions League - the title he wants in the remaining four years of his contract.

In 2020 the club reached the final, and lost to Bayern Munich, and in 2021 they reached the semi-finals. His ongoing injuries, which kept him out of quite a few European ties, including the return leg against Bayern a week ago, have been a major disruption in his stint in the French capital.

In the current campaign, before his most recent injury, his numbers were more than impressive: 18 goals and 17 assists in 29 games in all competitions.

Both Luis Campos, PSG’s sporting adviser, and Christophe Galtier, PSG’s head coach, consistently reiterated in public the commitment of Neymar.

After the World Cup, his performance level plummeted. His right ankle, which also hampered him at the World Cup, gave way on 20 February and he won’t play again until next season.

If he finishes his four-year contract with PSG, Neymar will be 35 when he leaves the French side. His goal, as reported by The Athletic, is to finish his career in the French capital.

He will be 34 when the next World Cup comes around. His future is unlikely to be decided in June.

The club, meanwhile, want to build a team around Kylian Mbappé and give the Frenchman all the tools he needs to win the Champions League.

Meanwhile, PSG are looking to the summer transfer window ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.

French news outlet L’Équipe report that players including Juan Bernat, Fabián Ruiz, Renato Sanches and Carlos Soler could all leave the club.

Last week AS reported that sporting advisor Luís Campos and head coach Christophe Galtier will be kept in their roles at the Ligue 1 side until the end of the current campaign.

Campos will get another transfer window to prove himself as a shrewd operator in the market.

Campos has been criticised for several signings at the French club and will likely sell to buy at the Parc des Princes, due to the club’s current Financial Fair Play situation.

Former Valencia captain Soler scored in the side’s 2-1 victory over Brest on Saturday night - a win that keeps them top of the table - 10 points clear of Marseille in second place.

The Spain international is playing for his future in Paris, however, a player of his ability won’t be short of suitors this summer if Campos decides to part ways with the talented creator.

Other squad players at PSG could be happy to leave and become key members of other teams around Europe.

Sergio Ramos may have played his last ever Champions League game.

The Spanish centre-back was impressive in the two European legs against Bayern but has yet to receive a new contract offer with his current deal in Paris set to expire in June.

Ramos has been previously linked with a big-money move to the Saudi PRO League, but has proved this season that he can still compete at the highest level.

It remains to be seen if Bernat, Ruiz and Sanches will be sold or if they will be given more time alongside Kylian Mbappé and Co.