PSG star Neymar's key role in Barcelona's search for a new president

Neymar has become involved in the electoral campaign for the Barcelona presidency. Several of the candidates who are running to replace Josep Maria Bartomeu have sounded out the Brazilian star to learn first hand what his plans are next summer. 

Barça are currently undergoing a major reconstruction and that will only be sped up by the incoming board. Neymar's name, due to his importance on the pitch and his value off it, is an attractive one. Especially when the forward, who will turn 29 in February, wants to return to Camp Nou. 

The only reason he is still at Paris Saint-Germain is because of the devastating effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on Barça's finances. If not, he could have forced his way out of the French club by invoking Article 17, although that would have meant Barça would have had to pay a fee set by FIFA, which would have been around 180 million euros.  

That became unviable when coronavirus ended games in March and hit clubs' finances across the world. This summer, with one year on his deal, which expires in 2022, he could try again to force an exit. 

SPORT have learned that he has no intention of extending his current deal with PSG, despite the noise in the French press about a possible renewal. Neymar has decided to leave PSG when the season ends. 

He tied to do so discretely in 2018 after his first year in Paris and again in 2019 when there were a series of meeting with Barcelona about a return. He was even willing to put 20 million euros of his own money into the deal to ensure a return to Camp Nou. Barca were expected to return this past summer but coronavirus killed the deal.