The Ceiling of Selling
Why selling Neymar, no matter the amount, feels like a mistake for Barcelona.
One of the most sure signs that the transfer window has officially opened is when Neymar transfer rumors start occurring. The Brazilian has been mixed up in transfer rumors once he arrived at Barcelona and continued to make a name for himself on the pitch.
Most years Barcelona and Neymar have done enough to silence the rumors, but this year they seem a bit more realistic. While sums of £190m or more have floated around the rumor mill, it still feels somewhat displaced and odd from most perspectives taken on the matter.
It doesn’t make sense to sell one of the top few best players in the world. Especially when you have him paired with the best player in the world, and the best striker in the world. Or perhaps that’s the only scenario it makes sense to sell a player of Neymar’s caliber. When you have players the likes of Messi and Suarez still around after you pocket £190m.
Speculation about his unhappiness or feeling in Messi’s shadow has floated around the tabloids, and isn’t apart of why I think selling him is a bad idea. Those reasons don’t factor into this from a development perspective. The perspective that has to be taken in building a club the caliber of Barcelona.
Teams like Monaco or Tottenham selling off world class players makes a bit more sense. The players want to play at the best clubs in the world, and the clubs need cash to fund youth development. Both of those reasons don’t apply at Barcelona.
Youth development is fine, and they’re the pinnacle of soccer success in the world. Arguments could be made the either Manchester United or Real Madrid are the peak, I would disagree, but it cannot be argued that Barcelona are in the conversation. Neymar is one of the best players on one of the best and most talented teams in the world. His reasoning is very Kyrie Irving-ish. But from the Barcelona side, the transfer would make even less sense.
Selling off Neymar doesn’t make sense to fund another purchase, no other player has the potential and present day talent that Neymar has. No other player has proven they can play in the Champions League final, still be 25, and have his best years ahead in all likelihood. Selling Neymar makes little sense for a variety of reasons.
So Barcelona, unless Neymar is really unhappy (and even then), don’t sell him. You have a miraculous collection of talent, and any sum of money wouldn’t amount to the prestigious talent lining up for you every week up top.
