KEY POINTS

  • Neymar needs to give up partying in Brazil to return to Barca
  • Neymar needs to admit he was wrong in the lawsuit filed by Barcelona
  • A Neymar return just got dimmer with conditions set by former team

There is no question that Barcelona could get a big boost if Neymar were to return. That came close to happening in the off-season but nothing materialized. Regardless, it appears rumors of a potential return by the Brazilian remains up in the air. But that may only happen if the 28-year-old is ready to meet the conditions according to former Barcelona vice president Jordi Mestre.

In a report from Goal.com, one of the conditions is that Neymar should forget about attending birthday parties over in Brazil. There is also the lawsuit back in 2017. FC Barcelona filed a lawsuit against Neymar, claiming that they were owed money by the Brazilian player. Neymar would also have to admit that he was in the wrong at the time.

"On sporting terms, he could come back but on a series of conditions. Firstly, PSG have to agree, then he would have to withdraw his lawsuit and acknowledge that he was in the wrong and after that, all the birthday parties in Brazil would have to stop," Mestre said.

From the looks of it, satisfying those conditions could very well douse water on any hope of seeing Neymar back at Camp Nou. Then again, there is always a possibility despite the seemingly tough conditions on the table. Being one of the most expensive players with a record of €222 million in hand, it would perhaps be best for Neymar to just stay in Paris Saint-Germain unless something improbable crops up.

All that aside, Barca has more pressing issues to address. They are three points behind La Liga leader Real Madrid and recently sacked head coach Ernesto Valverde. Harmony from within is not looking good as well with Lionel Messi jawing with the director of football Eric Abidal.

In a previous post, it was reported that Barca was quietly trying to add another striker to the mix. The identity of the alleged player has been kept secret. Further, Barcelona's top brass Quigue Setien would need to secure the proper authorization to add another player.

For now, all Barca can do is utilize the players they have available right now. Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, and Clement Lenglet were among the bright spots against Betis, aided with some inspiring play from Messi.

The world's most expensive player, Neymar has been hit by a string of legal woes
The world's most expensive player, Neymar has been hit by a string of legal woes AFP / Bertrand GUAY