Over the past few seasons, Neymar has been regularly linked with a return to the Camp Nou.
The 28-year-old Brazilian attacker broke the heart of Barcelona supporters when he decided to leave the Catalan giants for Paris Saint-Germain in a world record €222 million move, back in the summer of 2017.
Neymar starred across four long seasons at Barcelona, forming one of the most potent attacking trios alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez (MSN) up front.
The 28-year-old scored 108 goals in 186 appearances across all competitions, helping the club win eight major titles, including two La Liga titles and one UEFA Champions League.
With his heart still set on playing for Barcelona again, Neymar has reportedly reached an agreement with PSG over his return to the Camp Nou.
According to Spanish sports daily, AS, the French giants have agreed to let the Brazilian return to Barcelona if the Blaugrana find means to make it happen.
So, with Neymar still prevailing on Barcelona’s transfer radar, let us take a look at all the implications of his potential return to La Liga.
Possible ‘MSN’ reunion
Widely regarded as the best attacking trio in the history of football, Neymar, along with Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez terrorized Spain and Europe with their panaches, flairs, skills, and the ability to influence the outcome of any tie.
The holy trinity of Messi, Suarez and Neymar scored a combined total of 364 goals in only 450 matches during the course of three seasons, completing a historic treble back in the 2014-15 season for Barcelona.
The pace and flamboyance of Neymar on the left, the magisterial dribbling attributes of Lionel Messi on the right, and the exploits of Luiz Suarez in front of goal made the trident one of the most complete attacking force ever assembled in club football.
If Barcelona can somehow lure the Brazilian back to the Camp Nou, we can expect the same goalscoring ruthlessness due to their telepathic connection both on and off the field.
Lionel Messi’s potential replacement
Lionel Messi, at 33, is still carrying Barcelona with his extraterrestrial performances week in, week out.
The Argentine magician has been Barcelona’s main focal point in attack for over a decade now.
The overdependency on Messi has become a momentous problem to the Barcelona set-up, as they fail to rise to the occasions when the diminutive Argentine is not on song.
So, Neymar can become the flag-bearer of Barcelona’s attack, as Messi slowly walks into the twilight of his career.
To many, Neymar was initially signed by the Catalan giants from Santos back in 2013 to replace Lionel Messi in the near future.
Although it remains a herculean task to repeat Messi’s legacy at Barcelona, the 28–year-old Brazilian seems to be the best bet anyone can make at this point in time.
Off-field issues and injury woes
Neymar has struggled to balance his on and off-field life properly, attracting much-unwanted attention from one section of the media throughout the course of his career.
In fact, the Brazilian’s stock has decreased drastically since his move to PSG, due to numerous injuries and various off the field issues.
During his four-year spell at Barcelona, the 28–year old’s way of living was a subject of continuous scrutiny from the Catalan media.
Frustrated by the way his move to Barcelona dragged to the courts, Neymar made more headlines due to his controversial transfer from Santos to the Catalan capital than his on-field performances.
Then again with PSG, the superstar got involved in several scandals, ranging from an altercation with his team-mates over the rights of free-kicks and penalties, to making notorious comments about his current employers.
Along with his eccentric lifestyle and unathletic way of living, injuries have halted Neymar from maximizing his true potential.
Since his big-money move to the French capital, Neymar has missed a combined total of 372 days of football, aggravating 15 injuries in the process.
Obstacle in the growth of Ansu Fati
Neymar’s possible arrival will also mean less game time for Barcelona’s promising youngster, Ansu Fati. The 17-year-old has earned the plaudits of many with his close control, and quick feet in the left-hand side of Barcelona’s attacking third.
In 29 appearances so far this season, Fati has already scored seven goals and provided an assist. The rising star of Barcelona made history after finding the back of the net against Inter back in December, thereby becoming the youngest ever goalscorer in the UEFA Champions League.
If Barcelona decide to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou, it will certainly hinder the development of Ansu Fati, who seems to be a world-beater in the making with his pace and skills.
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