In a last-ditch effort to prevent Ousmane Dembele from joining Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona manager Xavi has reportedly made a reference to Neymar.
As PSG’s potential move for Dembele nears completion, with the club agreeing to trigger the €50m (£43m/$54m) release clause in his contract, which expires on August 1, Xavi has made one last-ditch attempt to stop the French forward from leaving Barca.
In a crucial meeting with Dembele over his future, Xavi reportedly urged Dembele to “think about Neymar” and his troubles at PSG while also bringing up the Brazilian’s past attempts to return to Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo.
In 2017, PSG spent a record-breaking €222m (£189.99m/$243.71) to bring the Brazilian striker to Parc des Princes.
However, despite having 118 goals and 77 assists in 173 appearances, Neymar has fallen short of expectations after six years in the French city.
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Neymar was initially billed to be the player who would finally lead the club to Champions League triumph.
Xavi has always defended Dembele amid widespread criticism over his form and injury record.
The player continues to be an integral part of the coach’s plans and he is now hopeful that Dembele will now withdraw from a move to PSG after their intense discussion at the Thompson Hotel in Dallas.
