Neymar of Barcelona vies for the ball with Daniel Carvajal of Real Madrid during their International Champions Cup football match at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
Tangiers: Veteran Brazil international full-back Dani Alves said he is hopeful superstar Neymar will join him at Paris Saint Germain but insisted he isn’t using his personal friendship to sway the Barcelona forward’s decision. The two were team-mates at Barca from Neymar’s arrival in 2013 until Alves left to join Juventus a year ago.
Having joined PSG, 34-year-old Alves hopes Neymar will show courage and decide to swell the French capital. Neymar, 25, is involved in a tug of war between the two European giants with his potential transfer to Paris the major saga of the off season.
“I hope it will happen. I’ve got nothing to do with his decision, it’s a very important decision for him,” said Alves.
“Men have to make these kind of decisions. I hope he’ll join us, he’s one of my best friends and I always want my friends to be close by. I can’t interfere in his decision. It’s his decision to make but we’ll welcome him with open arms if he comes.”
PSG are allegedly weighing up whether or not to trigger Neymar’s $261m release clause, which would more than double the biggest transfer fee ever paid, currently the $115m Manchester United forked out to bring back France midfielder Paul Pogba from Juventus.
Pogba was then instrumental in convincing his friend Romelu Lukaku to join United from Everton for £75m earlier this month.
“Decisions are for the courageous. I’m the most courageous: I decided to quit Barca, to quit Juve; I always make my decisions. He has to decide for his maturity and his ideas about continuing to improve.”
