Transfer Centre

Thiago Motta: 'Neymar will be welcomed with open arms at Paris Saint-Germain'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 28 July 2017

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta says that Neymar would be "welcomed with open arms" if he joins the club from Barcelona this summer.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta has said that Neymar would be "welcomed with open arms" if he completes his much-publicised switch from Barcelona this summer.

Neymar has been heavily linked with a world-record £196m move to the French capital and today cancelled an event in China in order to deal with the transfer, having also clashed with Barcelona teammate Nelson Semedo in training.

Should the move go through then it would smash the previous world-record transfer of £89m when Paul Pogba rejoined Manchester United from Juventus last summer, and Motta admitted that the PSG players had discussed the deal in training.

"Of course we speak about it. He is a great player. What team in the world would not want Neymar?" he told reporters.

"Everyone would like to have him in their team. Barca do not want to lose him and that is no surprise. He can make a difference. If he comes, he will be welcomed with open arms. I hope that things will finish well for PSG. To play alongside a player of his calibre is rare and they are difficult to find. So, why not?

"All teams lack this type of player. To find a player of his ability is very, very difficult. He can play anywhere and of course he could play at PSG, that goes without saying. He is on another level."

Neymar has scored 105 goals in 186 appearances for Barcelona since joining in 2013.