Barcelona Director of Football Deco pours cold water on Neymar move – ‘You build a team with your head’ | OneFootball

Barcelona Director of Football Deco has moved to quash rumours linking Neymar Junior with a return to the club. The Brazilian forward has returned to fitness at Santos, but will have his options open this summer, with his contract up. Links to Barcelona have been frequently more or less since he left the club, but this summer the pieces fit more than they have for some time.

It has been reported that Neymar would be delighted to make a return to the club where he made his global fame and won his only Champions League of his career. The 33-year-old has seemingly been in conversations with President Joan Laporta about a move too.

Image via Marca

Yet speaking ahead of Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Benfica, Deco made it clear that he at least had no plans to bring back Neymar.

“It’s not an economic issue. First of all, I think Neymar has to try to be happy again, to enjoy football. And I don’t see any better place for him at this moment than Brazil and Santos, his club.”

“A team is built with your head. Neymar was a phenomenon who passed through here. He did what he did. He won what he won… Sometimes those stories are not repeated. They can be repeated, you never know… But I think this is not the time for Barcelona to think about Neymar, nor for Neymar to think about that,” he told TNT Sports Brasil, as quoted by Relevo.

Previously it has been reported that Barcelona have set Neymar two conditions in order for them to consider a transfer: that Neymar remains fit and arrives for free. For the past two seasons they have been linked with a move for a left winger, and returning to Camp Nou next season, Laporta will be keen to bring in a star attraction. Yet manager Hansi Flick appears to be more in line with Deco’s thinking.