Here is FC Barcelona's plan to sign Neymar from PSG this summer
The player must inform PSG that he won't sign a new deal at the club when he returns to training in May
There is no doubt that Neymar is FC Barcelona's number one priority when the transfer window reopens. Lautaro Martinez is also on that list but the Brazilian remains the one everybody wants at Barça. The club knows it won't be easy, and even less so during a global crisis, but the sporting department wants to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou.
Barça are keeping an eye on developments and will be interested to see what Neymar does once he's back in France. Ultimately, it comes down to what Neymar says and does. If the Brazilian informs PSG he won't sign a new contract and wants to leave in the summer, only then will Camp Nou officials push hard to complete a deal.
Neymar only has two years to run on his deal and PSG are desperate to keep hold of both him and Mbappe this summer. They've offered Ney a bumper contract to extend his stay in Paris until 2025 but, at the moment, talks have stalled. Neymar is expected to return to France on the 11th May as preparations begin to complete the current season.
It's no secret that negotiating with PSG is never easy. The first step would be for Neymar to turn down the renewal as that might force PSG into selling their star man as soon as possible before his value drops. There is talk of the transfer window being open from August until January which would mean negotiations could drag on for months yet.
Barça have learnt from previous negotiations with PSG that they can't make the first move. Neymar must do that. If the player then gave his word that he wanted to re-sign for Barça, then comes the complicated part of agreeing on a transfer fee. The coronavirus outbreak means that €100m+ fees are out of the question, something which PSG have demanded in the past.
A previous option was Neymar taking his situation to FIFA. Due to the fact he has completed three years of his deal, he would be able to essentially force his exit should a club match his current valuation. However that would mean the buying club would need to stump up €170m in one payment and that's simply impossible. Barça must reach an agreement with PSG and are ready to offer players in exchange, just as they did last summer.
PSG, via their director of football Leonardo, are interested in Samuel Umtiti, Ousmane Dembele, Antoine Griezmann, Philippe Coutinho, Nelson Semedo and Ivan Rakitic. Barça felt PSG were asking for too much money last summer and hope that an agreement can be reached in a move similar to that of a trade deal in American sports.
The first step would be Neymar informing PSG he won't sign a new contract. Then, the existing Champions League campaign must reach its conclusion. With that very loosely pencilled in for the middle of August, early September, it's a transfer deal which is going to run for a while yet.
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