The closure of the European transfer window leaves Paris Saint-Germain and Neymar locked in an unhappy partnership.
After two years in the French capital, Neymar made it clear to PSG he wanted to move on and his intention to leave was confirmed by returning sporting director Leonardo.
Neymar became the world s most expensive player when he left Barcelona for €222million but that fee, coupled with his reported €700k per week wages, have trapped him at PSG.
Barcelona simply could not afford to bring him back, while Real Madrid were also unable to complete a deal the Clasico rivals having earlier splashed the cash on Antoine Griezmann and Eden Hazard respectively.
So, what happens next for Neymar, PSG and Barcelona?
NEYMAR
Yet to feature for PSG this season, Neymar will presumably be brought back into Thomas Tuchel s squad. They are currently without Kylian Mbappe and Edinson Cavani due to injury, although Neymar must serve a European ban. Whether he can have the impact the Ligue 1 champions crave remains to be seen.
There is little wrong with Neymar s domestic record, 34 goals from 37 Ligue 1 appearances is excellent, but he has not delivered in Europe. That is partly down to injuries he has been absent when PSG exited the Champions League in each of the past two seasons but his impact in the most important games has not been what PSG hoped.
Neymar, having failed to engineer his desired move away, must knuckle down now and cut out the theatrics that have drawn criticism from heroes such as Pele. One of the reasons for his move to Paris in the first place was said to be his desire to win the Ballon d Or, but the past year has seen him slip out of the conversation.
At 27, he should be entering his peak years. This is the ideal opportunity to prove he can be a successor to five-time winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
