Neymar on the way out

BARCELONA. — Barcelona have told Paris St-Germain they must pay a world record 222m euro (£198m) fee “in full” before Neymar can join them. Neymar’s adviser has told reporters that the Brazilian international could be a Paris Saint-Germain player by the end of the week. It emerged yesterday that Neymar has informed his current club Barcelona that he wants to leave.

And French side PSG are set to acquire the 25-year-old and smash the world transfer record in the process, by paying the €222m release clause in his contract.

Neymar’s adviser Wagner Ribeiro told reporters at Barcelona’s El Prat airport yesterday that PSG would pay the buyout clause “in the coming hours” and that Neymar could be presented in Paris “at the end of this week”.

Neymar was joined by his father, Ribeiro, and the rest of his entourage, as they flew out of the Catalan capital on a private flight to London.

Barcelona yesterday confirmed that Neymar has asked to leave the club and will now be allowed to “resolve his future”.

Neymar was given permission not to train by Barcelona yesterday, with transfer talks with PSG having now reached an advanced stage, and was seen leaving the club’s base less than an hour after arriving.

A statement from Barcelona read: “Before the morning session began, Neymar informed those present of his wish to leave the club and was therefore given permission to miss training and resolve his future.”

Barcelona have said Neymar’s €222m (£198m) release clause will “have to be deposited in its entirety”, while the contract extension bonus he is due as of August 1 “remains deposited with a notary until the case is resolved”.

The Brazil international arrived at training yesterday with his father and representative, and told the Spanish club he wanted to leave.

He was then given permission by Barca manager Ernesto Valverde not to train and to “sort out his future”.

PSG are understood to be ready to pay the 25-year-old’s release clause.

The latest development comes two days after it emerged Barca were ready to push for a Financial Fair Play investigation if PSG signed Neymar

That came after La Liga president Javier Tebas threatened, in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, a legal response against the former French Ligue 1 champions if European football’s governing body failed to take action.

He also said PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi had been made aware of the Spanish league’s intentions.

Neymar moved to Barcelona from Brazilian club Santos in 2013 for £48.6m, and signed a new five-year deal with the 24-time Spanish champions in 2016.

His representative Wagner Ribeiro, who yesterday tweeted he was in Paris, said last year that his client had been offered a tax-free £650 000 a week to sign for the French club.

And Neymar’s potential world record move to Paris Saint-Germain moved a step closer yesterday as the Brazilian informed his Barcelona teammates he is leaving the club, a Barca spokesperson said. “The player came to train as scheduled and announced to his teammates that he is leaving,” said the source. — AFP-Reuters.