Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reportedly wants an offer amounting to €300 million (£273m/$328m) for Neymar. The president knows that this offer is too high and therefore, can serve as protection against Neymar leaving.
According to the La Parisien, PSG president Nasser Al-Khelafi called for a meeting to say that it is impossible for Neymar to leave. The player will only be allowed to depart if an irresistible offer is made for him. The price should be significantly higher than what the club paid for Neymar in the first place, as reported by Be In Sports.
The president is particularly sure that Barcelona will not be able to match his demands. He does not think the club even has the financial means to do so. By stipulating such a high price, the Brazil star will likely stay in Paris for this season.
Earlier this month, ESPN reported that PSG was already so ready to reject a loan-to-buy offer by Barcelona. This is not a new thing. PSG is really reluctant to let Neymar go. They paid €222 million to bring him to Paris after all and they wanted to more than just recouping from this.
According to ESPN, even if Barcelona will be able to meet the high demands, after a loan, PSG has no confidence that the La Liga champions would make the payment in a lump sum. PSG's moves can be detrimental to its own club though, maintaining a player who obviously does not want to stay.
It can be remembered that Neymar's own teammate Marco Verratti has once said that if Neymar wants to leave, PSG should just let him. "I think that if a player wants to leave, in the end he will always find a way to go" he told RMC Sport. "And it's better like that, otherwise the club will keep someone who does not want [to be there], who will be against the club," he added.
Verratti has no bad blood with Neymar though, saying he too will be disappointed to see him go. He clarified that he never heard Neymar personally said he wanted to leave.
Verratti himself had a colorful past with PSG. He was once described by his agent as a "prisoner" of the club, but instead of leaving, Veratti personally pledged his future with the club. He was convinced of PSG's ambitions. He has since then said that he never regretted his decision to do so.
