Neymar's fall: Upset with Al-Khelaifi and considering a PSG departure

The Brazilian player has agreed to leave PSG, according to RMC Sport

Posted Monday, June 27, 2022 by Marca.com

Neymar in a PSG match

Neymar's time at PSG could be coming to an end, with it being reported in France that he would be willing to leave the club this summer.

The forward, who joined PSG from Barcelona in the summer of 2017 for 222 million euros, the most expensive transfer in the history of football, is reportedly looking for a new destination despite the fact that his contract with PSG will be automatically extended until 2027 from July 1.

This development has been reported by RMC, who claim that the Parisian side have decided to sell their star player and that, for the first time this summer, the 30-year-old Brazilian star has accepted that his time at the Parc des Princes is coming to an end.

Both club and player have reached a consensus that the best thing for both parties is to go their separate ways.

Al-Khelaifi's harsh words about Neymar

A recent interview that Nasser Al-Khelaifi gave to Le Parisien did not sit well with the former Barcelona man.

"A possible departure of Neymar this summer? What I can tell you is that we expect all the players to do much more than last season," claimed the PSG president.

These words may have struck a chord with a player who knows he has not performed at his best this past season, in which he made a total of 28 appearances and scored 13 goals in all competitions, a far cry from what should be expected from the player who was destined to occupy the throne of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi when he arrived in Paris in 2017.

According to RMC Sport, Neymar, unlike in previous seasons, was not planning to leave Paris this summer ahead of a World Cup that is crucial for him and for Brazil, but the internal restructuring that PSG are currently undergoing and the elevation of Kylian Mbappe to megastar status have been too much for him to accept.

So, his departure from the team, which will be coached by Christophe Galtier, is expected to happen.

Neymar's fall: Upset with Al-Khelaifi and considering a PSG departure

A disappointing five years in Paris

Neymar arrived at PSG as a shining star and the leading figure in Qatar's big money Parisian project in European football.

That summer of 2017, he was joined by Mbappe. The trajectories of the two, however, have been completely opposite.

Five years after their signings, Neymar has taken a back seat in Paris and Mbappe has been the player for whom the Parisian club's board and management have really fought to keep and prevent his transfer to Real Madrid.

Year after year, PSG have failed in the Champions League - except for the 2020 final - and they even saw Lille take the league title from them two seasons ago.

Put simply, PSG believe the time has come to put Neymar's era behind them and to focus on Mbappe, who is considered the future of the club and of world football.

For all these reasons, and again according to RMC, Neymar has accepted his departure from PSG in this summer market, an exit that will not be easy, as there are not so many teams that can afford the cost of a big money transfer.

Plus, the player doesn't guarantee great performances on the pitch, according to what has been seen in recent years in Paris.

Manchester United, Chelsea and even Newcastle are in the list of possible buyers, although the race to sign Neymar has only just begun.

The divorce between player and PSG is already total. From being the star of the project to being considered expendable, Neymar's fall from grace in Paris is already a reality.