FC Barcelona say not considering swoop for Neymar

Spanish giants FC Barcelona have debunk claims to re-sign Brazilian star Neymar from French Lique 1 side, Paris St Germain (PSG), the club’s vice-president Jordi Cardoner said.

His comments knocked down media reports La Liga champions were ready to tempt the Brazilian forward back to the Nou Camp.

Neymar won two La Liga titles and the 2015 UEFA Champions League in four years with Barca and formed a lethal partnership with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi.

He departed in July 2017 after the Paris giants exercised his release clause.

“No one on the Barca board has talked about the possibility of bringing back Neymar. Right now we can’t give an answer because no one has even mentioned it,” Cardoner told radio station SER Catalunya on Friday.

The 26-year-old Neymar helped lead PSG to a domestic treble this year.

His first season in France was tarnished by a public dispute with teammate Edinson Cavani over the taking of penalty kicks.

There was also the foot injury sustained in March that forced him out for the rest of the campaign.

Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo said in a front-page story on Wednesday that the player has told Barca he wants to return after becoming disillusioned with life in Paris.

“He was the one who left. It would be different if we hadn’t believed him and now we wanted to bring him back. But that’s not the case,” Cardoner added.

“If we did want to sign him, then the board would have to discuss it. But until now no one has talked about it.”