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The summer months are synonymous with transfer speculation, and the bigger the name, the more clicks generated. Big names inevitably involve big numbers, and as Paris Saint-Germain make an alleged move on Neymar for an unprecedented and obscene amount of cash, the benefits of such a signing should be considered in what is fundamentally a team game.
Last season Paris Saint-Germain were responsible for two of the greatest shocks in recent UEFA Champions League history against Barcelona. A 4-0 victory on Valentine's Day for the side from the French capital against the Catalan giants sent shockwaves around the football world. But if any club could reverse such a defeat at home it was Barcelona, and Luis Enrique's side duly obliged with a 6-1 win in the return match.
And it was Neymar who played a pivotal part in the comeback, scoring in the 88th and 91st minute, before setting up Sergi Roberto for the deciding goal with the last kick of the game deep into injury time. It was an incredible night at the Camp Nou that will not be forgotten. As much as it showed the technical quality and brilliance of the attacking talent that Barcelona are blessed with, it also showed the mental strength and character of the collective unit to defy the odds.
Also read: Pros and cons of Neymar moving to PSG
But now the attacking combination of Messi, Suarez, and Neymar could be consigned to history as the Brazilian star contemplates a move to Paris. Domestically, he could shine like no other, as the challenges posed in the French top flight are limited to be kind. It is Champions League glory that the club are desperate to achieve, and it is the only competition that will confirm their status amongst the elite of the European game when compared to the giants of Spain, Germany and Italy.
It is also a top table that English clubs are desperate to dine upon, and Manchester City are leading the way in summer spending by investing heavily in their defensive options. Manager Pep Guardiola knows what it takes to win the Champions League, and addressing the defensive frailties that have restricted their impact on the continent is clearly high on his agenda ahead of the new campaign. Their investment in their defence also emphasises the different challenges faced by English Premier League clubs when compared to their main European rivals.
Defensively, the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain have little to worry about when it comes to their respective domestic games. With the exception of their realistic title rivals, facing these giants is nothing but a damage limitation exercise for smaller league clubs. As a consequence, they can rest their best defensive players ahead of key European games without any concern, and it appears Guardiola is putting together a team for each of his two main competitions.
But what these other teams can save on defensive spending, they can make up for in attack, and it is the potential acquisition of Neymar that has made Paris Saint-Germain the most talked about club of the summer. As brilliant as he could be for the club on the pitch, he can be equally beneficial off it too, and as one of the world's most marketable footballers, there is little that his face cannot sell. Neymar is huge across the world, and that is the sort of status the owners of PSG expect their club to hold.
Incredible sums of cash have already been spent this summer, as clubs, players and agents embrace football's financial boom. The direct rewards for success are huge, but it is the commercial aspects that can prove even more lucrative on the back of such success that justify the current levels of investment seen across the world. Should Neymar complete his switch from Barcelona to PSG he will make football history, but it is a record that will quickly be broken as the game spirals further into the financial unknown.
Can Paris Saint-Germain win the Champions League with the signing of Neymar? Is he the missing piece in the puzzle? Probably not. Out of all the Champions League contenders, the likes of PSG and Monaco do not have enough of a domestic test to keep their standard of play at the level Champions League success requires. Monaco impressed to reach the semi-final stage last season, but were largely reliant on the impact of teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe, and struggled against the experience and discipline of Juventus when it came to the final push.
Already Mbappe is one of the hottest prospects in Europe, and there is every reason to believe that he will leave the Principality before the new season begins. Even if he does, and even if Neymar remains at the Camp Nou, both PSG and Monaco will dominate domestic proceedings in France next season. It is guaranteed as they have no real competition other than each other. Compared to the other top European leagues of their Champions League rivals, the French sides simply have it too easy, and consequently, find Europe's premier club competition too hard.
Neymar is a perfect fit for the PSG project, but he is too good for the French top flight at this stage of his career. His talent will regress before the standards around him improve. At Barcelona, the demands are different, and with the exception of El Clasico, the oppositions are irrelevant.
The fans at the Camp Nou demand perfect football from their heroes, and that is where the pressure to perform comes from. They do not allow standards to slip. Neymar has thrived in this environment and must remain in it for the best years of his career.
