Could Neymar be on his way back to Barcelona?
The first marquee transfer of the current transfer window took place earlier in the month when Eden Hazard completed his long sought-after move to Real Madrid in a deal reportedly worth around €100m.
The deal made the Belgian the most expensive player in Real Madrid’s history, as well as the joint-fifth most expensive in history, and his arrival is sure to set in motion a series of other transfers.
Once upon a time, nine-figure transfers were almost impossible to fathom and as recently as 2012, no player had ever crossed the €100 threshold. However, since Gareth Bale’s record-breaking move to Real Madrid in 2013, a further seven deals have been completed for €100m or more.
A large reason for this spike in transfer fees is due to an ever-increasing monetary allocation to football clubs, as more revenue is generated from improved television and sponsorship deals.
With a little over two months left in the current transfer window, there are still a number of transfers which could be completed as clubs seek to improve their squads ahead of next season.
A lot of these payers would not come cheap, as the current inflation in the market guarantees that world-class players are sold for in excess of nine figures. In this piece, we shall be taking a look at three players who could still be sold for €100m and above.
#1 Antoine Griezmann to Barcelona
After five years of stellar performances for Atletico Madrid, Antoine Griezmann sent shockwaves across Europe earlier in the summer when he stated that the 2018/2019 season was to be his last at the Wanda Metropolitano.
As expected, Barcelona emerged as the front-runners to sign the 28-year-old, having previously made a bid for him which was turned down last summer.
Laying further credence to the speculation, Atletico Madrid chief Gil Marin stated that Barcelona would be Griezmann’s next club and although there appears to be some reservations on the part of some key players, there are indications that Barcelona are waiting until July 1 when the French international’s buyout clause would reduce to £107m to announce the deal.
#2 Paul Pogba to Real Madrid/Juventus
After three years of lopsided and divisive performances for Manchester United, Paul Pogba seemingly wants out of the club having stated during a tour in Asia that the time might be right for a new challenge elsewhere.
The 26-year-old had arrived Old Trafford in the summer of 2016 for a club-record fee four years after being sold off to Juventus and given the high rising pedigree he came with, it was expected he would help take the club back to previous heights.
However, that failed to happen as the World Cup winner has been accused of not doing enough for the entirety of his United career and many fans of the Red Devils would be keen to see the back of him.
Real Madrid have been long-term admirers of the French international, while a return to Juventus has also been mooted.
If Pogba is to leave Manchester United, the club would be keen to recoup more than the €105m they paid to sign him in 2016 and as such, he would not come cheap for any prospective buyers.
#3 Neymar to Barcelona
Neymar became the most expensive player in history when PSG made the surprise decision to trigger his release clause which stood at €222m in the summer of 2017.
The Brazilian international had shown great promise in his five-year spell at Barcelona and the Ligue 1 side had expected that he would be the one to fire them to continental glory. However, two years on, PSG’s dream of Champions League triumph is still as far as ever.
The 26-year-old made a startling revelation last week when he stated that he is tired of life in the French capital and wants to return ‘home’ claiming he should never have left in the first place.
With top figures such as Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi reportedly wanting him to return to Barcelona, the stage could be set for Neymar to make a shock return to Camp Nou only two years after leaving.