Barcelona players on Friday said they have begged Neymar to resist the temptation of moving to Paris Saint-Germain after a training ground altercation with new signing Nelsen Semedo.
The French giants are reportedly ready to launch a record-breaking US$256 million move for Neymar, sparking exit fears as the Spanish club prepared for their **El Clasico** friendly against Real Madrid in Miami yesterday.
The 25 year-old Brazilian departed the practice pitch after the incident and has yet to commit his future to Barcelona ahead of the transfer deadline, still more than a month away.
Photo: AFP
“It’s true, something did happen, but that’s sometimes what happens in training,” Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta said. “All the talk about Neymar right now, everything is magnified. Things like this can happen. It’s a personal decision for him, but of course we want him to stay.”
Strike partner Luis Suarez has formed a deadly partnership with Neymar and echoed Iniesta’s calls for the interest from PSG to be dismissed once and for all.
“As soon as he clarifies the situation it’s better for us and him,” Suarez said. “He will have his say when he is ready and as a teammate I will support him.”
“Our relationship won’t change,” he said. “We want him to stay.”
Barcelona manager Ernesto Valverde did not speak to the media on the eve of the match with archrivals Real, but Iniesta sang Neymar’s praises.
“For me, he’s one of the best players in the world,” Iniesta said. “He brings so much to the team and hopefully he will stay for many years.”
“He is worth more than [US]$200 million or [US]$300 million,” he said. “His playing style suits us and he can only improve with us.”
Neymar attended an event at a Nike shop in Miami on Friday to celebrate the release of his new boots.
However, the superstar striker refused to talk about the speculation and just posed for photographs with fans a day after the training spat at Miami’s Barry University training complex.
Barca are to return to Spain after the clash at the home stadium of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, while Neymar is to travel to China on business for the La Liga giants.
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