Neymar will finally emerge from Lionel Messi’s shadow with world-record £196m move from Barcelona
If Brazilian ace can pull off a Champions League win for Paris Saint-Germain he will be even bigger than Maradona was at Napoli
DIEGO MARADONA did it. Neymar believes he can, too.
Maradona remains the darling of the Stadio San Paolo after forcing his way out of Barcelona to lead Napoli to Serie A titles in 1987 and 1990.
And Brazilian superstar Neymar is convinced he can have the same impact at Paris Saint-Germain.
He will finally be the main man, emerging from Lionel Messi’s shadow, when he completes his world-record £175million move from Barca.
To do it, he must leave behind one of the best club sides in the history of the sport.
Those 24 La Liga titles, five European Cups and the legend of Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola count for nothing when the riches of the Qatari riyal is waved in front of him.
Then, the tradition, the heritage, the honour of playing for Barcelona becomes an afterthought.
It is a nice bargaining chip for Barca to have when they are competing with other top clubs, but it is not enough for Neymar.
Not any more.
By forcing his way out of the Nou Camp, Neymar will be rewarded with an eye-popping salary worth £45m a year for the next five seasons.
In the background his dad, Neymar Santos Snr, has done his son’s bidding.
He resurrected PSG’s interest in the Brazilian poster boy earlier in the summer after their failed bid to prise him away from Barca last season.
This time they almost have their man.
The French club have been trumpeting the commercial benefits of bringing one of the most desirable names in the game to the Parc des Princes.
The reality is that increased worldwide shirt sales with Neymar’s name on the back are only likely to bring in another £15m a season.
To fall within Financial Fair Play regulations, PSG will have to farm out some players to pay for him.
Angel Di Maria, Goncalo Guedes, Hatem Ben Arfa and Blaise Matuidi are all being offered around Europe.
Neymar’s coterie of advisors insist the forward is desperate to break Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi’s Ballon D’or stranglehold.
Kaka, a former Brazil team-mate, was the last player outside of that pairing to win the award way back in 2007.
Neymar wants that adulation, the recognition from PSG fans that he has superstar qualities.
He will be made to feel instantly at home, sharing a dressing room with Brazil team-mates Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Lucas Moura when he joins.
He is a huge name, with his poster-boy looks demanding a place on the front cover of US magazine Sports Illustrated after his photoshoot in Los Angeles last month.
Neymar is big business — on and off the field.
His profile is huge and his popularity will soar when he finally breaks the world-record transfer fee.
And behind the blaze of publicity, Neymar is a world-class footballer.
He was Brazil’s talisman at the 2014 World Cup in his home country, leading them to the semi-final against Germany before he was ruled out with a broken back.
His silky skills are admired across the world, but he knows he will have to remain in the shadow of Messi if he stays at Barcelona.
This is an ambitious move, with PSG fronting up the money to meet the release clause in a Barca contract he signed only last summer.
Backed by Qatari cash the French club are determined to break the Champions League monopoly of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
There is a frustration, on a minor scale compared to the pursuit of Neymar, that Barca have been after their midfielder Marco Verratti.
Signing Neymar is on another grander level, a vanity purchase as they prepare to take on the biggest clubs in Europe again this season.
Neymar believes he can lead them to glory, a final piece in the PSG jigsaw to crack the Champions League.
If he pulls it off, he will be even bigger than Maradona.