Report: Real Madrid Close to Neymar Deal as Barcelona Backs Out
The summer transfer window may have slammed shut for English sides but that won't stop news about Neymar flooding the headlines for the next few weeks.
Up until recently, Barcelona had been the only reasonable exit route for the wantaway Paris Saint-Germain forward, with the club exploring every possible avenue to bring the prodigal Brazilian back to Camp Nou and end his Parisian hell.
Naturally, developments are continuing to emerge on a daily basis, and if the reports are to be believed then the most likely way out for Neymar at present appears to be Barça's great rivals Real Madrid. Having entered the party late, it too has now begun its own negotiations over recent weeks with swap deals continuing to be rumored - given PSG's astronomical cash only demands.
Firstly, Madrid went in with a sensational swap deal with Garth Bale. The French boss is desperate to be rid of the Welshman and, according to Mundo Deportivo, Bale's name has been mentioned in discussions as a potential makeweight in bringing Neymar back to Spanish football.
However, with Bale rejected some time ago, Los Blancos have since tried different methods to secure Neymar, who is long considered an obsession for president Florentino Perez, with The Times now suggesting that Luka Modric could be the key to securing a deal.
That report sensationally suggests that PSG are close to accepting a cash-plus Modric deal, a move which would appease the French club's hierarchy as they want to offload the disruptive Brazilian but do not want to see him return to Catalonia.
As previously reported, a similar offer was already made by Real Madrid. However, whereas Real's first bid comprised of £112m plus Modric, if it ups that to £149m plus the Croatian it should be deemed acceptable.
Despite Madrid's increasing confidence in securing a deal, the player himself still has his heart set on returning to the Blaugrana.
Furthermore, Catalan daily Sport state that a strong contingent of the Barça squad would also like to reunite with him, as daily calls from Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique attempt to persuade the hierarchy to up their offer.
However, Neymar simply won't return to his former side unless PSG is willing to soften its stance on his valuation. Moreover, it seems it's unwilling to part with any money whatsoever, as Marca claim a deal will only be done if the French side accept just players, with the club standing firm on its reluctance to break the bank.
