Barcelona on Wednesday confirmed that wantaway striker Neymar has missed the team’s morning training session, which would make a world record €222 million move to Paris Saint-Germain imminent.
“Neymar Jr hasn't trained on Wednesday with the permission of the coach #FCBlive,” a post on the club’s Twitter account read.
Les Parisiens had made the enormous bid last week for the 25-year-old and while it was initially rebuffed as mere fantasy, their persistence to sign the flashy Brazilian seems to have paid off.
Apart from making him the best-paid player on the planet, the fact that PSG were ready to make him the club’s undisputed No.1 was said to have turned Neymar’s head.
The club were desperate to keep him, as were the players, with the likes of Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique declaring Barcelona were the club for him in a bid to get him to stay at the Nou Camp. But the fact that Neymar refused to comment on the speculation only stoked the fire and on Wednesday it seems he finally got his wish granted with the club finally relenting.
At Barcelona, the Brazilian had accepted the fact that Lionel Messi would always be the top dog no matter what. And after a fruitful four seasons with La Blaugrana, he felt a move to the French capital was essential as he sought a Ballon d’Or trophy of his own.
After flying in from China, where he had gone for a promotional tour, Neymar said his goodbyes at Barcelona’s training ground and is expected to jet out to Paris later on Wednesday, where he will put pen to paper a long-term contract.