Report: Real Madrid players recruiting Neymar
Real Madrid players have reportedly joined the recruiting process for Neymar.
Squad members have contacted the wantaway Paris Saint-Germain star to say that he'll be welcome in Madrid, sources told ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan and Rodrigo Faez.
Real Madrid have been linked with a lucrative move for Neymar throughout the summer despite already spending more than €200 million on new players such as Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic. Still, manager Zinedine Zidane refused to confirm interest in the forward following his side's preseason match against Roma on Sunday.
"We are here with the squad that we have and we are only thinking about that," Zidane said.
The manager's players, however, are believed to be "going hard" in their attempt to persuade Neymar to join them in the Spanish capital.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid's fierce rivals Barcelona have also been strongly linked to the 27-year-old, who spent four seasons at the Camp Nou before his shock move to PSG in 2017.
However, a return to the Catalan capital could be complicated considering Barcelona's reluctance to sell Neymar before his controversial departure for €222 million. That process reportedly damaged the club's relationship with PSG, which could give Real Madrid the edge this time around. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Madrid counterpart Florentino Perez have a "very good" relationship, according to Faez and Julien Laurens of ESPN FC.
When it comes to financials, Real Madrid reportedly came up short in their attempt to match the £180-million asking price that Manchester United demanded for Paul Pogba this summer, but Los Blancos might be able to generate the necessary funds for Neymar if they sell Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez before the Spanish transfer window shuts on Sept. 2.
Neymar was dropped from PSG's squad ahead of their season-opening victory over Nimes on Sunday. The club's sporting director, Leonardo, conceded that a departure in the near future is possible with negotiations "more advanced than before."
During that match, many PSG fans turned against Neymar by voicing their displeasure with the ongoing situation.
And on Monday, Brazilian outlet UOL Esporte reported that images of Neymar had been removed from the official PSG club store.