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PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona after being snubbed by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN signed Neymar from Barcelona after Cristiano Ronaldo refused to leave Real Madrid, reports say.
Neymar shows off unbeatable skills in home debut at PSG
PSG stunned the footballing world when they activated Neymar’s £200million buyout clause last month.
The Brazil international decided to swap Barcelona for Paris after growing tired of continually being in the shadow of club talisman and legend Lionel Messi.
Yet Spanish outlet Diario Gol say PSG were keen to sign Ronaldo from Real Madrid before they landed the Samba superstar instead.
Back in July, reports from Portugal said Ronaldo wanted to quit the club after being accused of tax evasion by the authorities.
PSG signed Neymar from Barcelona after being snubbed by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo
He was supposedly keen on a return to England - with former club Manchester United and Antonio Conte’s Chelsea in the frame to snap him up.
Yet Diario Gol say Ronaldo’s refusal to move to PSG - despite his close relationship with the Ligue 1 side’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi - saw them move for Neymar instead.
PSG saw the Brazil international as a far more attainable asset.
And they were proved right, with the player angering Barcelona by jumping ship.
PSG: Neymar signed from Barcelona for a huge £200million last month
PSG: Cristiano Ronaldo turned down a move before Neymar left Barcelona
The 25-year-old is expected to feature when PSG go up against Metz tonight (7.45pm).
And Brazil legend Pele thinks superstardom beckons now he is no longer in the same team as Messi.
"At the moment the best player in Brazil is Neymar and I think the move for him was very good because there was huge competition with Messi at Barcelona," Pele told Marca earlier this week.
"I think it's a good opportunity for him and he needed to move because now he can really play and show what he's capable of."
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