Vicente del Bosque Thinks More Than Half of Barcelona Fans Wouldn't Want Neymar

Former Spain manager Vicente del Bosque has suggested the majority of Barcelona fans would not have been happy if Neymar had returned to the club this summer.

The Paris Saint-Germain star was linked with a move back to the Camp Nou throughout the summer but remained in the French capital.

Del Bosque spoke on Estudio Estadio (h/t AS), and said:

"It would have been good for the domestic league for him to return but I have to say that if I was involved with a club, I wouldn't have signed him.

"He is a fine player for sure, but there are other aspects that turn me off.

"If you were to carry out a survey with Barcelona fans, I'm sure more than 50 per cent of them would have a negative response to his return."

The 27-year-old spent four years with Barcelona before he moved to PSG in 2017.

In that time, he scored 105 goals and assisted 76 in 186 games, won three La Liga titles, the UEFA Champions League and three Copas del Rey.

Sports writer Andy West was hoping he would return to Barca this summer, but conceded he would feel differently if he were a fan:

Football journalist Rik Sharma had cautioned the Catalan giants against going back in for him:

Given what he accomplished at the club and the chemistry he had with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez—which made the trio the deadliest attacking line-up in world football before his departure—many supporters might have welcomed him back with open arms.

On the other hand, a lot of fans may not have forgiven him for his acrimonious exit from the club.

Soon after he left, Barcelona announced they were taking legal action against the player, who responded by doing the same to the club.

Given he's unlikely to move clubs in January, Neymar looks set to spend at least one more season in Paris.

The speculation could easily reignite next summer, though, so a divisive return is far from off the table.