08 August 2023 , 07:58
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Mauricio Pochettino has ruled out Chelsea signing Neymar this summer – despite Blues owner Todd Boehly holding a transfer meeting with Paris Saint-Germain over the Brazilian earlier this year.
Boehly flew into the French capital in February to meet with PSG chiefs ahead of the first leg of their Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. Neymar has netted 118 goals in 173 appearances for the French club but there has been a lingering sense that he has failed to hit the huge expectations that many predicted.
Mirror Football reported in April that the Parisians are open to offers for the Brazilian this summer as they look to reduce their wage bill and revamp their squad. Lionel Messi has already left the Parc des Princes while Kylian Mbappe is not training with the first-team squad amid uncertainty over his future.
Neymar, 31, has suffered another campaign blighted by injuries. One of the club’s top earners who carries a high status, he remains the most expensive player in the world following his £198million switch from Barcelona in 2017.
Boehly is evidently a fan of the Brazilian superstar and RMC Sport have indicated that Chelsea ’s hierarchy was exploring a deal this year. However, Pochettino worked with Neymar at PSG and has no interest in being reunited with the player at Stamford Bridge.
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PSG would be willing to listen to offers in the region of £60million for the Brazilian but a report in the Standard claims Pochettino has poured cold water on Chelsea’s interest. The new Blues boss does not believe the forward would fit into his desired style of play.
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Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley are said to be working closely with Pochettino with a deal for Neymar off the table. There has been a huge change in Chelsea’s squad this summer with the club targeting younger players rather than superstar names.
The future of Neymar at PSG came under increasing scrutiny last season amid his ongoing feud with star attacking partner Mbappe. The French ace was believed to have been keen on the club to cash-in on the Brazilian, although both now may be on their way out.
Former PSG boss Christophe Galtier moved to tackle the issue head-on by staging a first-team meeting in which the two were rebuked and apologised, while Messi acted as a ‘mediator’ to help quell the ongoing discontent between the pair.
The fallout did not stop there, as Neymar went on to 'like' two social posts that slammed Mbappe over the episode, including a post that said the Frenchman “controlled” the club. Pochettino managed both players over the course of 18 months in Paris and it is perhaps understandable why he would hope to avoid a repeat at Chelsea.