Neymar and Kylian Mbappe are without a doubt Paris Saint-Germain’s most prized assets. The duo have repeatedly been linked with moves away from the club. While Neymar has been linked with a move back to Barcelona, Mbappe has been touted to join Real Madrid soon.
While Mbappe’s transfer to Real could still realistically happen in the next few years if he stays in Paris, the same cannot be said for Neymar. The Brazilian superstar is currently 28 and will celebrate his birthday on 29th February.
His contract is set to expire in 2022, and Paris are already looking to extend his contract now, so as to avoid all chances of losing him on a cut-price deal, or for free two years down the line.
The French media have mentioned that should Neymar want to leave the club, potential suitors will have to cough up €100 million at the very least, which is almost half of his €222 million price tag that took him to the Parc des Princes.
In a world without the coronavirus, the clubs who are financially well off could consider the possibility of moving for Neymar. However, with the game impacted by the lack of revenue so badly, a move away for Neymar seems impossible, especially for the financially struggling Barcelona.
What makes the summer of 2021 important is the case in point where Paris are unable to agree a deal with their star player. The upcoming summer would be their last chance to sell him for a considerable fee.
With Neymar at 29, and entering the most dreaded age of any player’s career, clubs will be willing to pay up for him only up until the summer. After which, he will be viewed in much lesser value than he was just a year ago. And age is not just a number in these scenarios where so much money is involved.