Desperate Barcelona plot how to bring £265m Neymar back and may offer PSG Coutinho and Dembele in crazy swap transfer
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PHILIPPE COUTINHO and Ousmane Dembele could be key in Barcelona's desperate attempt to bring Neymar back from Paris Saint-Germain, according to reports.
Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu is reportedly willing to sacrifice the attacking duo to meet the Parisians' financial demands.
According to Marca, PSG are holding out for £265m if they are to part ways with Neymar, 27.
That's way beyond what Barcelona, or possibly any other club in the world, could offer the Ligue 1 champs for the Brazil star.
But the Catalans are not giving up on the blockbuster move - with Bartomeu aware of how popular a figure Neymar is in the Nou Camp dressing room.
Therefore, Barca are considering a number of options in order to lower the Paris side's asking price.
One would see PSG get cash plus BOTH Dembele and Coutinho in a crazy swap deal.
In a different scenario, the French champs would receive £90m if the player exchange included Ivan Rakitic or Samuel Umtiti.
Or, the Catalans could pay £130m and send either Coutinho, 27, or Dembele, 22, to Parc des Princes - provided that their move for Matthijs de Ligt fell apart.
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde, however, is reportedly unwilling to give up too much for Neymar and wants Dembele to stay at the Nou Camp.
NEYM AND SHAM
The Brazilian winger has been linked with a shocking return to his former club ever since he completed his £198m move to Paris two years ago.
But the transfer saga took another twist when PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi lashed out at his star earlier this week.
He said: "I want players that are ready to give everything to defend the honour of our shirt and who sign up to the club's project.
"There are of course contracts to respect, but the priority now is complete commitment to our project.
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"Nobody forced him [Neymar] to sign here. Nobody pushed him to. He came with a full understand of the cause to sign up to a project."
"Those who do not want to, or do not understand it, we meet and we speak.
Neymar then allegedly texted Al-Khelaifi, begging to let him go back to Barcelona.