Barcelona Transfer News: Neymar Confusion, Latest Sergi Roberto Rumours
The transfer saga surrounding Barcelona star Neymar and his potential move to Paris Saint-Germain continues to twist and turn, as reports have emerged saying Gerard Pique's tweet on the subject completely surprised and confused the Brazilian's camp. Meanwhile, Sergi Roberto has been linked with Chelsea.
Neymar and PSG have dominated the football headlines for days now, with numerous contradicting reports surfacing daily. Pique became the first player to publicly speak up on Sunday, tweeting this picture along with a caption that translated as "he stays":
ESPN (via AS) reported sources close to the former Santos man say Neymar was left confused by the tweet, however, and the plan is still to move to France, if PSG are willing to trigger his massive buyout clause, worth well over €200 million.
As shared by ESPN FC's Samuel Marsden, team-mate Jordi Alba commented on the tweet, and while he's hopeful the Brazil international is staying, he didn't sound like a player who had been told that's the case:
Carlos Carpio of Marca previously reported the 25-year-old had agreed to a contract with Les Parisiens, and all that's left is for the French giants to trigger his clause or negotiate a fee with Barcelona.
His colleague Ramiro Aldunate (via Tim Hanlon) disagreed, though, reporting instead Neymar had talked to some of his team-mates and had since decided to stay in Catalonia.
This saga―and the steady stream of conflicting reports that comes with it―won't end until the man himself makes his intentions clear, and there are no indications Neymar will do so anytime soon.
Meanwhile, Catalan outlet Sport (h/t Joe Miles of The Sun) reported Chelsea will turn to Roberto in their quest to add defensive depth, as the Premier League champions are ready to pay his €40 million (£35.7 million) buyout clause.
The Blues have been linked with a host of full-backs but lost out on Danilo, who instead joined rivals Manchester City. With options quickly dwindling, Roberto could become an alternative.
The Spaniard is a more natural fit in midfield but filled in admirably as a right-back last year, especially after Aleix Vidal went down with an injury. The Catalans have since signed Nelson Semedo, however, and he's expected to become their new starter.
His versatility would be a big benefit for the Blues, but the fact he isn't a natural at full-back―something that was painfully clear at times last year―and should stick in the centre of the pitch to reach his full potential would make him an odd target for the Blues.
As a depth option, he could be a good addition, but it's hard to see the Catalonia native leave his boyhood club for anything but a starring role.
