"The only plan was to get to Barcelona" - Neymar Jr's father says Paris Saint-Germain move was 'never' in the plan in surprise admission

Neymar Jr's father has revealed that the Brazilian winger's move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was never planned. Despite winning the treble with the Blaugrana in 2015 and clinching the domestic double in the 2016 season, the Brazilian winger chose to leave in the summer of 2017.

It has long been understood that the main reason behind his decision to leave Barca was Lionel Messi. The Argentine legend was recognizably the best player at Camp Nou, and Neymar didn't wish to remain inside Messi's shadow. The Brazilian winger was intent on winning the Ballon d'Or, and it was difficult to beat the duopoly of Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

His father has now opened up on that journey from Spain to France, revealing that it was never in their plans. Speaking in an interview with the Roundcast podcast, he said (via AS.com):

“We never made plans. The only plan was to get to Barcelona. The rest... PSG was a whirlwind, it became a storm, and before we knew it, he was gone. Al-Hilal too. These were things that just happened."

They seem to have learned their lessons from that period, though, with the Brazilian's father revealing that they are making preparations for the future:

"Today, Neymar has a contract until 2025. We don’t know anything beyond that. I see the speculation, and we’ve started preparing for it. I know the market is watching to see how he recovers, but he always comes back better than before. This time won’t be any different.”

The former Barcelona star has struggled with injuries since he left Catalonia. He was hampered while at PSG, unable to lead them to UEFA Champions League glory, even after Messi joined him in France in 2021.

The 32-year-old is out with a hamstring injury at the moment. He had only recently recovered from a long-term cruciate ligament tear that cost him a full year.

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Neymar Sr. on what the future may hold for the former Barcelona star

Neymar Sr has revealed what the future could hold for his son, following his struggles to stay fit while in Saudi Arabia. In the interview with Roundcast, his father explained that the winger would finally decide what to do next after his time with Al-Hilal ends (via AS.com):

“Let’s wait and see what happens and how Neymar really feels. He’ll be free to decide. We’ve never been so free to choose where to go, and having a 32-year-old free agent in hand is a gift for any businessman.”

However, his father also admitted that playing in the Club World Cup next summer was important for the former Barcelona winger, adding:

“All the top clubs will be there, and Al-Hilal has earned its spot in this championship. They already have one of the biggest stars they could possibly have to compete, someone with experience in this type of tournament. That’s why they didn’t let go of the second year of Neymar’s contract.”

Recent reports have suggested that Neymar could return to his boyhood club Santos and that his entourage are working on terminating his contract at Al-Hilal. The 32-year-old played 225 matches for Santos between 2009 and 2013, contributing 136 goals and 64 assists.