Neymar is one of two top targets for the Blaugrana when the transfer window opens however questions have been asked over their financial muscle, MySportDab reports.
The president of Mediapro, the company that is set to broadcast Ligue 1 from subsequent season, claims it is not possible that Barcelona will be in a position to afford to bring Neymar back to Camp Nou as the coronavirus disaster will have deeply affected their economic resources.
Neymar has long been linked with a return to Barca since departing the club for a world record fee of €222 million (£198m/$263m) back in 2017, with the player himself having agitated for a swap before the 2019-20 season began.
The Brazilian has never been far from the Blaugrana’s plans since he left the club and is once again high up their wishlist for when the current campaign does finally come to a close as soon as Covid-19 is fully under control.
Inter striker Lautaro Martinez is additionally a target for the Liga champions however Mediapro president Jaume Roures, who is well versed in Spanish business, doesn’t believe the Catalan club have a chance of putting collectively the money required to re-sign Neymar.
“The club no longer has the financial ability to spend… I do not know how much,” Roures said of Barca in an interview with AFP. “It’s not possible now.”
He added: “The crisis will have an effect on the price of TV rights in one way or another. Likewise, paying players hundreds of millions of euros will be over.
Firstly, because the clubs will no longer have the means, and secondly, due to the fact banks will not lend the clubs cash with the same ease as before.
“This is all going to change and I think it is very positive.”
Footballers’ incredibly high salary packets have long been the source of debate – even for those with little activity in the sport itself – with many feeling that players are paid far too much for the job that they do.
However, others believe that footballers are easy targets, particularly in the current financial chaos caused by the coronavirus, and that the market dictates what players are worth and paid as a result.
Regardless of opinions on wages in the long term, soccer clubs are almost absolutely on the same side when it comes to how to deal with the long-term consequences of the pandemic, with players and staff alike being asked to take pay cuts in order to keep away from severe financial issues down the line.
