Barcelona need to break record to bring in Neymar replacement

Posted Friday, August 11, 2017 by Marca.com

Whoever comes in to replace Neymar at Barcelona will cost the Catalan club a lot of money with clubs aware that they have just received a cash injection of 222 million euros.

It should be easy with money available to sign but the reality is somewhat different as they are finding out this week with several failed bids.

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said that he does not want to contribute to the inflated prices in the transfer market but he is coming under increasing pressure with fans wanting a ready made replacement for the Brazilian.

There are still many possibilities and if Liverpool do finally concede then Phillipe Coutinho is likely to join and become Barca's and Spain's most expensive player ever

This is the price that they will need to pay having lost Neymar and the fact they need to bring in someone who will be able to capture the imagination of the fans who are also worried about the way that Real Madrid are dominating at the moment.

The BBC report that Liverpool have turned down a 100 million euro bid and that the player has not been training for several days with a supposed back injury.

While the clubs negotiate a possible deal, Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp has been adamant in the press that he will not let the player leave particularly with a Champions League preliminary match around the corner and the Premier League about to start.
Coutinho has the option of putting in a transfer request but is reluctant to take that step.

Uncertainty over Dembele

With the figures being talked about the sale of Coutinho, it is unlikely that Barca would also look to bring in Ousmane Dembele, who has been a target for some time, as he would also cost around 100 million euros. The player appeared reserved during the open doors training session on Wednesday and also rubbed off his social media accounts that he belongs to Borussia Dortmund.