For so long it looked as though Brazilian playmakers Neymar and Philippe Coutinho had the world at their feet after moves to Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain but things have quickly unravelled
Samba star Neymar sealed what was then a world record £190m move to French giants PSG in the summer of 2017 as he turned his back on Barcelona. Without one part of their famed triumvirate of Neymar, Lionel Messi andLuis Suarez, the Catalan giants elected to splash the cash themselves.
They raided Merseyside and Liverpool for the services of Coutinho, paying £142m for the pleasure in the following January. Speaking at the time, he described the move as a “dream” as he aimed to emulate a vast array of Brazilian heroes in Catalonia.
Neymar had never attempted to hide his admiration of his countryman. Speaking during the latter’s impressive spell at Liverpool, he said: “He can be the star player in England. This season I think everybody in England is seeing how talented he is — and I know he has a lot more to show.
“When he has the ball at his feet, he can make things happen for himself and he can make things happen for other players. He is a very special player.”
Since then, things have gone spectacularly awry. Whilst Neymar has put up impressive numbers in the French capital, his relationship with the club’s supporters has threatened to overshadow his time at the club, whilst rumours of an exit refuse to go away.
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