EUROPE: Barca, PSG, Agree on Valuation of Neymar

Four days remain of the European transfer window. Neymar still belongs to PSG, Pogba to Manchester United and Eriksen to Spurs.

Barcelona, like the spoilt child their principal target Neymar often portrays, keep going after their man, with the mentality, ‘what we want, we must have’.

And as the deadline looms the boring inevitability of Neymar to Nou Camp nears reality.

It’s been some days since this story, while always topical, has remained at the summit of world soccer’s interest tree. Frankly fans are becoming bored of the soap opera it once threatened to become.

But soap opera no more, a conclusion appears to be in sight. As reported by BBC Radio 5 Live’s Guillem Balague, Barcelona and Paris St Germain after much protracted negotiation have reached an agreement on the valuation of Neymar.

Barca has offered 200m euros in cash, plus defender Jean-Clair Todibo, midfielder Ivan Rakitic and Ousmane Dembele on a season-long loan.

Yesterday at a news conference, PSG boss Thomas Tuchel said Neymar will not be involved in the Ligue 1 game against Metz today.

After the breakthrough in negotiations, it now seems he will rejoin the Nou Camp club before Monday’s La Liga transfer deadline.

Everything however remains predicated upon the other three players involved agreeing to join PSG. According to Balague, “It is not done. There is still a big bridge to be crossed because none of the three players have said they want to go. And Dembele’s agent recently said he is ‘200%’ staying at Barcelona.”

Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images

Meanwhile speaking yesterday, PSG boss Tuchel has admitted anything could still yet happen over the next few days.

“Everyone knows my opinion. You know that it’s not the coach who decides everything in a situation like this, in a big club, with a big, big player.

”The situation in the world of football can sometimes be crazy, so it’s not the time to lose your head. We have to work with the fact anything can happen in the next four days, or the situation could stay as it is.

“I have to stay focused on the things I can influence: training, the team and the preparation for the match against Metz.”

French newspaper Le Parisien claim a meeting has been scheduled involving the presidents of both clubs, Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Josep Maria Bartomeu today.

Going off on a slight tangent, and as far as Real Madrid is concerned, they appear to be resigned to losing the race for Neymar to their bitterest rivals, and may now quickly resurrect previous interest in Pogba at United and Eriksen at Tottenham.

United, appear absolutely determined to retain Pogba’s services for now, but a Real Madrid move for Eriksen with only a year left on his contract at Tottenham, is likely to be of interest to both clubs. That’s if Real want him now, and do not consider it more prudent to wait until the end of next season to get the Dane, in which case he could join for free.