Neymar has opened up about his future at Paris Saint-Germain and why it did not work out for Lionel Messi.
Mirror Football exclusively reported in April that Neymar could leave the Parc des Princes this summer after six seasons at the club. While the Premier League has shown interest in his signature, no approaches have been made from the French club.
There has also been the Brazilian’s ongoing reported feud with attacking teammate Mbappe. The superstar duo fell out over penalty taker order earlier this season in a Ligue 1 clash. The futures of both players have been in the spotlight in recent months.
Neymar, 31, suffered another injury-plagued campaign last year. One of the club’s top earners with high status, he remains the most expensive player in the world. This follows his £198 million switch from Barcelona in 2017.
The Brazilian has scored 118 goals in 173 appearances for the French club. However, there has been a lingering sense that he has failed to fulfill the huge expectations many predicted. This is due to his world-record price tag and his failure to land a European title in Paris.
Speaking on the Que Papinho program on YouTube, Neymar said of Messi’s exit: "I had asked him about him. In recent weeks, I had doubts, and he told me, "Messi has won everything. His family was very affected by the last two years at PSG. I understand the reasons, and he is traveling to a place where he will be well received.
"He will live a completely different life, and his family will feel really comfortable in Miami. It was an excellent choice. Here, we had difficult years together." Neymar then clarified why Messi’s arrival did not lead to success for the French club on the European stage. They crashed out of the Champions League Round of 16 in consecutive seasons.
"Real Madrid's Galacticos didn't win the Champions League," Neymar continued. "We had a strong team. Messi, Mbappe, and I are the top players in the world. We knew that, but it didn't happen. We wanted to win everything, but football is sometimes unfair. It's not like a cake recipe."
Speaking about his own future, the Brazilian added, appearing to rule out an exit, "Until now, nobody has told me, I'm quiet. Even though there isn't much love between fans and players, I will be there. Whether with or without love, but with Neymar.
