"Okay, overweight, but fat? I don't think so" - Neymar Jr. responds to critics calling him fat on social media

Flexing his athletic body in a video, Neymar Jr. has hit back at social media critics who called him fat. The Brazilian superstar said he might be overweight but not paunchy.

In a recent Instagram story, he is seen finishing up a personal training session and flexing his core muscles as a response to the critics calling for him to be more dedicated to maintaining his shape. Neymar said:

"Okay, overweight. But fat? I don't think so! Take it, haters! Give it up or run away!"

The Brazilian suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear during Brazil's World Cup qualifier against Uruguay last October and has been out of action since. During his time away from the field, he has undergone a drastic physical change as well.

Spotted last week at Romario's 58th birthday party, Neymar seemed to have gained a lot of weight. Fans were irked after seeing the 31-year-old completely out of shape.

Neymar has been injury-prone throughout his career, having already missed nearly 200 games across 10 seasons. This could be the reason he didn't reach the heights that many thought he was destined for. He turns 32 next week.

He also has been at the center of a lot of controversies off the pitch, involving nightclub brawls and infidelity charges, which has taken the attention off his on-field performances.

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Arsenal and Chelsea handed fresh boost in signing "next Neymar" as current deal stalls

Top Premier League sides have been handed a lifeline in their pursuit to sign Club Brugge's Norwegian wonderkid Antonio Nusa, who has been dubbed as the "next Neymar."

Brentford had a £25 million deal agreed in principle with the Belgian outfit, but 'complications' arose that caused the deal to be stalled.

The likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, and Liverpool have shown interest in signing the 18-year-old, and the former three could potentially hijack a move for the young forward before the end of the window.

Nusa has been impressive for the Belgian side this season with his explosive pace and silky dribbling, drawing comparisons with Neymar. He first drew attention when he scored on his Champions League debut last season at 17 years of age against Porto. Nusa has bagged four goals and three assists in 28 games this season, mostly off the bench for Brugge.

While describing the attributes that make him similar to Neymar, Nusa had told Aftonposten in April 2021 that the Brazilian is his idol.

"I like to create chaos. Neymar is my role model because he creates chaos on the pitch with his dribbling, just like me. He is one of the best in the world."