Barcelona Transfer News: Neymar to Snub Real Madrid Amid Shock Rumours

Barcelona’s brilliant forward Neymar will reportedly spurn the shock advances of Real Madrid to pen a bumper new deal with the Catalan giants.

Reports surfaced over the weekend suggesting that Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has grown “obsessed” with capturing the Brazilian star, per Javier Matallanas of AS (h/t Sport). However, according to Monday’s edition of Sport the 23-year-old star will say "no" to Barca's fiercest rivals:

As relayed by ESPN FC, the story suggests Neymar will snub what would be a lucrative offer from Real.

It would certainly have been a remarkable move should Neymar trade the famous Blaugrana jersey for the equally iconic all-white one.

The former Santos man has grown into one of the finest players in the world at the Camp Nou and is revered by the Barcelona faithful, so after earning so many admirers in Catalonia, making such a switch would be a peculiar decision.

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As we can see here courtesy of Squawka Football, Neymar has been a major force in the attacking third for Barcelona of late:

All doesn't seem well when it comes to Neymar’s current status at the Camp Nou, though. According to Sky Sports’ Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, Barcelona currently don’t have the money to offer both the Brazilian and Lionel Messi new deals, while Neymar’s father has also hinted an ongoing tax wrangle could force his son to quit the club, per Cadena Ser (h/t Sky Sports).

It seems as though Neymar has been on Real’s radar for a while too. According to Sport, Perez tried to sign the youngster from Santos in 2013 and believed a deal was completed before their great rivals swooped in to secure one of the hottest prospects in the game.

Real have taken Barcelona’s prized asset off them previously. In 2000, Los Blancos signed Luis Figo, arguably the best player in the world at the time, from the Blaugrana in remarkable deal. Naturally, the Portuguese winger was subject to volleys of invective whenever he returned to the Camp Nou.

You suspect Neymar wouldn’t fancy that kind of treatment. In addition, the forward seems to be enjoying playing in Catalonia and, as Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez noted recently, alongside some illustrious team-mates:

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Granted, there are some who doubt whether Neymar can become the best player in the world at Barcelona with Messi in situ. But for a player who has grown so much in stature over the last couple of years, to cross from one side of a hugely bitter rivalry to another would be a massive gamble.

Real would certainly be able to afford him and would make the Brazilian one of the highest paid players in the game. But Neymar resembles a player contented at Barcelona for the moment and as such, it’d be a huge surprise to see him leave the club any time soon. If he is to do so, a move to Los Blancos would stun the sporting world.