PSG want Neymar contract renewal before Champions League semi-final
By Tom Gott
PSG are hopeful of announcing a new six-year contract for Brazilian forward Neymar before they meet Manchester City in the Champions League semi-final on April 27.
After months and months and months of speculation, the wheels are now in motion for Neymar to extend his stay at the Parc des Princes after his agent confirmed that the 29-year-old wants to ink fresh terms in the near future.
Neymar himself recently suggested that an agreement was all but finalised, admitting: "The contract extension with PSG is no longer a topic."
While most reports have centred around a new contract which will run until 2026, L'Equipe (via GFFN) state that Neymar has actually agreed to a deal which will run for an extra year, committing himself to the Parisians until 2027 - when he will be 35 years old.
The agreement was struck back in February and the delay has only stemmed from the final legal details of a contract of this magnitude. With so many clauses to agree to, things were always likely to drag on - but PSG are now confident that things are almost sorted.
The hope is that an official announcement will be made before City come to town for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in late April.
Neymar proved his worth to PSG in the quarter-final triumph over defending champions Bayern Munich. He bagged two assists in the 3-2 win from the first leg, before putting on a magnificent show in the return fixture which was not marred by the 1-0 loss.
“We have invested a lot in the club to win the Champions League and all the trophies available," PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi told RMC Sport (via Sky Sports) the team booked their place in the last four. "Neymar and Kylian [Mbappe] have no excuse to leave. We really have everything to win all the tournaments.
"We have a great team today. We have respect for the others but we are there with them. We are working. And it is not over. We need to continue, to remain calm because the Champions League is not finished. We need to work more each day. The belief is there. The secret is work. The details make the difference too.”
With the Neymar deal all but done, PSG's focus will now turn to Mbappe, who is set to enter the final 12 months of his deal and has been heavily followed by Real Madrid.