Chelsea‘s affluence has been on full show since Todd Boehly took ownership of the Premier League club last year, but perhaps no deal would be more representative of the new era than a seismic swoop for Paris Saint Germain superstar Neymar.
What’s the latest on Neymar to Chelsea?
According to 90min, the Brazilian sensation has been offered to several Premier League clubs following recent uncertainty surrounding his long-term future in the French capital, with a fee of €90m (£80m) reportedly required to prise him away from Paris.
Chelsea are alongside the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United in engaging in initial conversations with representatives close to the developing situation, and Neymar – who is contracted to his club until 2025 – could seek pastures new while he’s still at the top of his game.
Chelsea have held a long-standing interest in Neymar, dating back to his early days with Brazilian club Santos, with the player once proclaiming in his autobiography that the Blues made a move for him way back in 2010.
Is Neymar to Chelsea actually feasible?
Any deal for the £606k-per-week revelation would not come cheap, and Boehly might have reservations over paying through the nose for a 31-year-old with a questionable fitness record, regardless of the superlative quality on show.
That said, Neymar – Brazil’s joint-record goalscorer alongside the legendary Pele with 77 goals from 124 caps – is one of the foremost attacking talents of his generation, with PSG boss Christophe Galtier heralding him as “world-class” and “one of the best players in the world” for his exploits over an illustrious career.
From 492 appearances at club level, Neymar has scored 292 goals and supplied 187 assists, winning a plethora of major honours such as the Champions League and two La Liga titles with Barcelona and four league titles with PSG.
This season alone, the “phenomenon” – as dubbed by compatriot David Luiz – has scored 17 goals and supplied 16 assists from just 28 outings; and if he could transfer this level of proficiency to Stamford Bridge, Graham Potter could finally have the catalyst for change.
Should Chelsea try to sign Neymar?
Yes
No
Chelsea have only won three of their last 15 matches, with the club’s joint-top scorers this season, (Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz) both only scoring six times across all competitions. Those woes in the final third are an illustration of exactly where Chelsea’s issues lie, and Neymar could rectify this fundamental flaw.
Galtier also once waxed lyrical about the elegance of the Brazilian, dubbing him an “artist“, and Chelsea could certainly benefit from his flair and finesse, with their tally of 23 goals the lowest of any team in the top half of the Premier League table.
Neymar is now into his 30s, and he could come at an exorbitant cost for the west London club, but the £550m already spent under Boehly’s ownership is an indication that the willingness is certainly there to catapult Chelsea back to the prominence that they have enjoyed over the past two decades.
Enzo Fernandez, Joao Felix and Mykhailo Mudryk may have been statement signings, but Boehly could arguably land his first true phenomenon at Stamford Bridge if he persuades Neymar to come on board.
