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Neymar Rumours: Real Madrid No Longer Interested in Signing PSG Star
November 22, 2018
Real Madrid have reportedly ended their interest in signing Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar next summer.
According to Cadena Cope (h/t Football Espana), Los Blancos have opted to "discontinue" their pursuit because club president Florentino Perez thinks supporters aren't keen on seeing the former Barcelona man arrive at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Cadena Cope said Perez would prefer to sign Neymar ahead of his PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe, who has also been linked with a switch to the Spanish capital
However, as relayed by Sport, it was also reported by Cadena Cope that Perez has issued surveys to some sections of the fanbase, and the results have shown a lack of appetite from Madridistas to see the most expensive player of all time in the all-white jersey.
Sport said that recent reports of interest in Neymar from Barcelona are unlikely to have made the idea of snapping up the ex-Blaugrana man more appealing to fans.
Neymar joined PSG in the summer of 2017 in a shock deal, as the Ligue 1 side triggered the release clause in his Barcelona contract. Neymar has since shone in Paris, although he has been surrounded by speculation, with interest from Madrid regularly reported.
So incessant was the speculation in the summer that the European champions issued a statement on their official website denying a story from TVE that said the club had made an offer for the Brazil skipper.
Per Spanish football journalist Colin Millar, there are often many different stories swirling around when it comes to Madrid signing big names:
Colin Millar @Millar_ColinThe multitude of coverage that Madrid would sign Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and a multitude of other forwards. Yet nobody predicted they would sign Mariano Diaz. The greater the volume of coverage becomes, the less likely we are to being able to predict decisions made within the club.
If Los Blancos were to bring in Neymar, then it would not only likely be one of the most lucrative transfers in history, but one of the most significant.
After all, Neymar has an association with Madrid's great rivals Barcelona after enjoying so much success with the club; he won La Liga twice, the Copa del Rey three times and the UEFA Champions League, too.
Given how often he's come up against Los Blancos, the capital club are all too aware of the kind of damage Neymar can do:
It would also be a key signing for Madrid after they opted against bringing in a direct replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo in the summer. Neymar, a thoroughbred superstar, is one of a few players with the ability to fill that void.
However, it appears Los Blancos are ready to step back from this deal for the time being. Neymar, meanwhile, will be left to focus on his football at PSG, where he's grabbed 13 goals and seven assists from 15 appearances for the club so far this season.