Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
How Barcelona plan to fund Neymar transfer after PSG transfer meeting held
Barcelona are close to agreeing a loan deal for Neymar with a transfer payment planned for next summer.
Neymar: PSG want 'a lot of money upfront' says Balague
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have held talks over a possible deal that would see Neymar return to Spain.
The Spanish champions are keen on bringing Neymar back to the Nou Camp this summer and are hoping to be able to strike a deal with PSG before the transfer window closes on September 2.
Barca have previously considered a player-plus-cash deal for the Brazilian, but these offers have been rejected by the Ligue 1 champions, who it is understood prefer a large cash payment for any transfer.
The 27-year-old left the Catalan giants in a record-breaking €222million (£200m) move to PSG in 2017, but after spending just two years in France he has now been heavily linked with a return to Spain.
There have been positive talks and the one thing that has become very clear that PSG want a lot of money up front
Officials from the two clubs met for around four hours on Tuesday and after the talks Barcelona director Javier Bordas revealed that while an agreement was close a final decision has not yet been reached.
"There's still no agreement. We're negotiating, we're getting closer," Bordas said upon his return to Spain.
And according to BBC Radio 5 Live's Guillem Balague, Barca could even up doing a 12-month loan with a sizeable upfront fee and then make the remaining payment in 2020.
“There have been positive talks and the one thing that has become very clear that PSG want a lot of money up front,” he said on Twitter.
Neymar: Barcelona have 'advantage' in race to sign says expert
“But they will be willing to wait for the rest of the payment later on.
“So we are talking perhaps about a loan.
“I’ve been told different figures, could be €30m (£27m), €40m (£36m), could be more, for one year and then pay €120m (£108m) next season.
“Then at some point players have been mentioned, but the impression I have got is that cash is what PSG want and maybe use that cash straight away to sort something out and get somebody before the 2nd of September.”
Neymar 'doing everything he can' to leave PSG says expert
One target PSG have been looking at to replace Neymar with is Juventus striker Juventus Paulo Dybala.
The Serie A champions have also been linked with making a move for Neymar, although it is understood the Brazilian is favouring a return to the Nou Camp above any other destination.
Even if Juventus are not successful agreeing a fee with PSG or terms with Neymar it has been reported that they are still willing to part ways with Dybala and the Old Lady reportedly value the player at around £73m.
Dybala had previously been linked with a move to Tottenham and Manchester United during the summer and while the player’s £350,000-a-week wage demands were too high for the two Premier League clubs, if PSG took Neymar off their books they would then be in a position to afford to meet the Argentine’s demands.