Barcelona back in Paris for Neymar transfer talks and could offer Ousmane Dembele in player-plus-cash deal

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Ben Hayward27 August 2019

A delegation of Barcelona directors flew to Paris on Tuesday for what could be final negotiations in their attempt to sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Footage from Catalan TV station TV3 showed Barca sporting director Eric Abidal, CEO Oscar Grau, director Javier Bordas and Brazilian scout Andre Cury at the airport for an early flight to the French capital.

That follows a board meeting on Monday ahead of the unveiling of the Johan Cruyff statue outside Camp Nou, for which president Josep Maria Bartomeu was also present.

A group of Barca officials also travelled to Paris earlier this month for talks over signing their former forward, but PSG have so far rejected their proposals.

Without the funds to sign the 27-year-old in a straight money transfer, Barca offered a player-plus-cash deal which included Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Rakitic, and later a loan option with a permanent move to be completed next summer.

Neymar remains linked with a return the Camp Nou Photo: AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Coutinho has since joined Bayern Munich on loan and although the Brazilian cannot now be used in part exchange to bring back his international team-mate, removing his €12 million-per-season salary from the wage bill at Camp Nou was considered key to Barca’s hopes of signing Neymar.

Neymar has also attracted interest from Real Madrid Photo: REUTERS/Charles Platiau
Reuters

Standard Sport understands a new Barca offer may include winger Ousmane Dembele, who is currently out for five weeks with a hamstring injury.

Barca forward Ousmane Dembele could be offered as part of the deal Photo: AFP/Getty Images
AFP/Getty Images

Barcelona are losing patience with Dembele for what they perceive to be a lack of professionalism from the 22-year-old and the Catalan club could now consider moving on the Frenchman in order to re-sign Neymar.

For their part, PSG are keen to include right-back Nelson Semedo in a deal for Neymar, but he has established himself as first choice in that position for the Spanish champions this season and looks unlikely to leave.

Neymar, meanwhile, has largely kept quiet through this whole saga and Barcelona believe the player may have to speak publicly of his wish to return to Camp Nou in order to facilitate a transfer before the window closes on September 2 and seal a deal as Real Madrid continue to monitor developments ahead of next Monday’s deadline.

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