Neymar was offered blank cheque to play for European giants but rejected it out of love
Brazilian star Neymar has revealed that he was offered an unlimited amount of money to play for Real Madrid, but turned it down. The 33-year-old recently made a move back to his boyhood club, Santos, where he looks to bookend his illustrious career. Neymar was part of the famous MSN trio alongside Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi at BarcelonaGetty Images - Getty He was once ranked among the greatest players in the world at Barcelona – where he spent four years between 2013 and 2017. But before his move to the Nou Camp, Neymar was offered a ‘blank cheque’ to join their arch-rivals. Speaking recently, he said: “The offer from Real Madrid was a blank cheque, they told me I could have whatever I wanted… but I loved Barca with all my heart. “At Real Madrid I would have earned three times as much money. Florentino [Perez] always liked me. But Ronaldinho had played there and I wanted to play with Messi.” Neymar also confirmed that former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola tried to lure him to Bayern Munich later in his career. “I was close to joining Bayern Munich because of Guardiola,” Neymar added. “I was in Switzerland to receive the Puskas Award, when my father called me. “I was sitting in the room in my underwear and suddenly my father came in with Guardiola. “Pep told me: ‘I want to take you to the team that I am going to coach. You will play great, I will make you the best. If you do not score 60 goals in a season, I will change my name.’ This was at three in the morning!” Amassing over 100 goals in 186 games for Barcelona, Neymar then went onto become the most expensive football of all time – a feat which still stands today – when he moved to PSG. Neymar moved back to his boyhood club Santos in JanuaryGetty The French outfit bought a 25-year-old Neymar for £200million in 2017. After six years in the French capital, he joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in another big money move. He did not have much luck in the Middle East though, playing just seven games across an injury-blighted time. Neymar joined Santos again in January, donning Pele’s iconic number 10 shirt which he wore from 1956-1974. He has scored twice already in his first few games for the side, including an Olympico, which he insisted he meant after being booed by the opposition crowd. The news of Neymar rejecting a blank cheque move to Real Madrid comes just days after LaLiga President Javier Tebas revealed that he believes one of Messi or Neymar will return to Barcelona in the near future. Neymar made just seven appearances for Al-Hilal due to a number of injury blowsGetty “I think Messi wants to go back to Barcelona. He spent lots of years there,” Tebas said. “I am quite sure Messi will come back. Maybe as a player, but I can see him returning in another capacity as well. “Messi and Barcelona go hand in hand. His brand, and Barcelona’s brand, are in many ways one and the same. He is in love with the club. “Neymar is a different story. I don’t think he will ever return to Barcelona. I am quite sure of that.”
Brazilian star Neymar has revealed that he was offered an unlimited amount of money to play for Real Madrid, but turned it down.
The 33-year-old recently made a move back to his boyhood club, Santos, where he looks to bookend his illustrious career.
He was once ranked among the greatest players in the world at Barcelona – where he spent four years between 2013 and 2017.
But before his move to the Nou Camp, Neymar was offered a ‘blank cheque’ to join their arch-rivals.
Speaking recently, he said: “The offer from Real Madrid was a blank cheque, they told me I could have whatever I wanted… but I loved Barca with all my heart.
“At Real Madrid I would have earned three times as much money. Florentino [Perez] always liked me. But Ronaldinho had played there and I wanted to play with Messi.”
Neymar also confirmed that former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola tried to lure him to Bayern Munich later in his career.
“I was close to joining Bayern Munich because of Guardiola,” Neymar added.
“I was in Switzerland to receive the Puskas Award, when my father called me.
“I was sitting in the room in my underwear and suddenly my father came in with Guardiola.
“Pep told me: ‘I want to take you to the team that I am going to coach. You will play great, I will make you the best. If you do not score 60 goals in a season, I will change my name.’ This was at three in the morning!”
Amassing over 100 goals in 186 games for Barcelona, Neymar then went onto become the most expensive football of all time – a feat which still stands today – when he moved to PSG.
The French outfit bought a 25-year-old Neymar for £200million in 2017.
After six years in the French capital, he joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in another big money move.
He did not have much luck in the Middle East though, playing just seven games across an injury-blighted time.
Neymar joined Santos again in January, donning Pele’s iconic number 10 shirt which he wore from 1956-1974.
He has scored twice already in his first few games for the side, including an Olympico, which he insisted he meant after being booed by the opposition crowd.
The news of Neymar rejecting a blank cheque move to Real Madrid comes just days after LaLiga President Javier Tebas revealed that he believes one of Messi or Neymar will return to Barcelona in the near future.
“I think Messi wants to go back to Barcelona. He spent lots of years there,” Tebas said.
“I am quite sure Messi will come back. Maybe as a player, but I can see him returning in another capacity as well.
“Messi and Barcelona go hand in hand. His brand, and Barcelona’s brand, are in many ways one and the same. He is in love with the club.
“Neymar is a different story. I don’t think he will ever return to Barcelona. I am quite sure of that.”
