Why Barcelona re-signing Neymar would bolster their attack
Former Barcelona star Rivaldo has urged the club to re-sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar instead of making a move for Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez, as per Marca (The Express).
Neymar, 28, came through the ranks of Santos FC in Brazil and was picked by Barcelona in the summer of 2013. He went to play for the Catalan giants for four years and was successful in his time at Camp Nou. In 186 appearances for them, he racked up 105 goals and 77 assists, helping the Catalan giants lift several trophies.
PSG then signed him for a world-record fee in the summer of 2017. Though Neymar had a difficult time in his first two seasons in France, he has risen to the top of his game. Despite his injury issues, the Brazilian has been brilliant for the Ligue 1 outfit.
He has established himself as a world-class forward and is still one of the best players in his position. And thus, the La Liga giants should make an attempt to bring him back to Camp Nou this summer.
Neymar – An established winger in Barcelona’s attack
One key area the manager should focus on strengthening is the wide areas. Lionel Messi, Ansu Fati and Ousmane Dembele are the three natural wingers available at the manager’s disposal.
Messi, as usual, has carried the team single-handedly throughout the campaign. He has already racked up 22 goals and 20 assists in the league. Young Ansu Fati has also done well whenever he has received game time. Ousmane Dembele has spent the majority of his Barcelona career on the sidelines.
However, Messi mostly plays behind the striker and this has left Barcelona with limited options on the wings. Antoine Griezmann, who has also been deployed on the flanks this season, hasn’t been consistent all season. Thus, a winger is a must in the summer.
To that end, re-signing Neymar would help them become a dominant force once again. He scored 19 league goals in his debut season in France and followed it up with 13 goals in the next campaign. This term, despite struggling with injuries, he has scored 13 goals in 15 games and has helped PSG win the league title.
The Brazilian is already a well-known figure at Barcelona for his partnership with Messi and Luis Suarez and a reunion could sparkle that form once again. He hasn’t lost his touch despite moving to France and his presence could help Barcelona return to their glorious days.
Read more
- Why Barcelona should offload Arturo Vidal permanently
- Why Jadon Sancho to Barcelona would make them powerful in attack
Verdict
It is clear that the La Liga giants’ attacking unit has struggled, with Messi being the obvious exception. Thus, bringing an established forward could be a wise decision and thus, they should manage to re-sign Neymar despite his heavy price tag.
