PSG reject Spanish Neymar bids

Widespread reports claim Paris Saint-Germain have rejected bids from both Barcelona and Real Madrid for wantaway star striker Neymar. The Brazil international is keen to end his two-year stay at the Parc des Princes after failing to settle at the Paris club.

PSG have said he can go but the stumbling block remains the size of the transfer fee involved. The Parisians paid Barca close to £200m for the South American in 2017 and will want the equivalent to come their way to see the back of the controversial hitman.

Both La Liga giants are said to be interested and Spanish football expert Guillem Balague claims the Catalans offered £92.4million plus Philippe Coutinho to try and temp the Ligue 1 champions. The Nou Camp outfit are also thought to have mooted the idea of midfielder Ivan Rakitic being involved in the deal but PSG refused to play ball.

It has also been suggested that Real Madrid offered cash plus Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez but that was also rebuffed. There is still time for a transfer to be completed as the European window does not close unit early September but there is always going to be issues over the finances involved.

Eyebrows were raised when the French club paid such a huge fee to take him from Spain two years ago and it is going to be tough for them to recoup their outlay. Nobody could predict that it would turn sour within 24 months although there were signs right at the start of his stay that things were not great, with a few fallouts with key players.

Paris Saint-Germain are 1.08 favourites to retain their Ligue 1 title but those odds might drift slightly if Neymar does get his wish of a move away.