Thursday 3 August 2017 11:07, UK
As Neymar stands on the cusp of football transfer history, we look at the candidates who could replace the Brazilian at Barcelona...
It was a transfer that was once discarded as sheer fantasy but now Neymar's proposed move to Paris Saint-Germain is on after he informed Barca he wants to leave the club.
With Barcelona set to receive a world-record £198m transfer fee, who will the Catalans buy to plug a huge Neymar-sized hole up front? We take a look...
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool) - 10/11 with Sky Bet
Liverpool's talisman is now odds-on to move to Barcelona following the latest developments surrounding Neymar's future. Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is so far standing firm but South American football expert Tim Vickery believes attacking midfielder Coutinho is the ideal player to take on the Neymar role at the club, saying: "I have always seen Coutinho as a Neymar replacement." However, despite what the bookmakers and experts say, the Merseysiders have been firm on their stance on Coutinho, insisting he is not for sale at any price.
Angel Di Maria (Paris Saint-Germain) - 5/2 with Sky Bet
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward is one of three players joint-second in the betting to replace Neymar. With bags of La Liga experience under his belt from his successful spell at the Bernabeu, Di Maria is one of a handful of players who could immediately fill the void left by Neymar. Whether the Argentine is willing to leave Paris, or join his former club's El Clasico rivals, remains to be seen.
Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain) - 5/2 with Sky Bet
Could some extra cash in the pocket prompt Barca to go out and get a man they've reportedly been chasing for some time? Viewed as a long-term successor to Andres Iniesta, Italy international Marco Verratti is certainly not a like-for-like replacement for Neymar. However, his capture would see a marquee signing arrive at the Nou Camp, lifting the mood after the departure of a player no-one wanted to see leave.
Ousmane Dembele (Borussia Dortmund) - 5/2 with Sky Bet
The 20-year-old has attracted tonnes of attention following his switch to Dortmund, where he scored 10 goals in his debut season. Similar to Neymar, who was filmed having an altercation with Barca team-mate Nelson Semedo, Ousmane Dembele was involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Roman Burki this week. Neymar followed that by informing Barca he wants out, will the Frenchman follow suit and take the first step towards the Nou Camp? We'll have to wait and see.
Paulo Dybala (Juventus) - 11/4 with Sky Bet
With reports in Spain claiming Lionel Messi has given his personal backing for compatriot Paulo Dybala to succeed Neymar, the Juventus frontman could well be the answers to Barca's problem. The Argentine certainly has the pedigree needed to flourish in Catalonia, having scored 42 goals in just two seasons in Turin, while he single-handedly knocked Barca out of last season's Champions League. However, having signed a bumper five-year deal with the Serie A champions in April, Barca may have to reinvest a large chunk of the money received for Neymar to convince Juve to sell.
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) - 15/2 with Sky Bet
Atletico Madrid and France ace Antoine Griezmann was heavily linked with Manchester United earlier this summer before committing to the Spanish capital club. The talented attacker would be a good fit for Barca's style and has the attributes to link up well with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi - but can the Catalan club convince him to walk away from Diego Simeone's side?
Kylian Mbappe (Monaco) - 10/1 with Sky Bet
The Monaco sensation looked on the verge of a world-record transfer of his own with Real Madrid actively chasing his signature - but could Barca hijack the deal? Having had to reluctantly part with Neymar after PSG's gargantuan bid, beating their El Clasico rivals to Kylian Mbappe - the hottest youngster in world football - would make sense both on and off the pitch. Reports in France claim the striker has finally told Monaco he wants to leave, too.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea) - 14/1 with Sky Bet
Chelsea's star man Eden Hazard has previously been linked with Barcelona's rivals Real Madrid, but given his dribbling skills, creative talents and knack of finding the net at key moments, the Belgian would help the Nou Camp outfit replace many of the attributes they are losing by selling Neymar. Antonio Conte has spoken out to say Hazard is happy at Chelsea and will be staying with the club - but a big money offer from Barcelona will test that resolve.
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal) - 14/1 with Sky Bet
Arsenal's main man, Alexis Sanchez, has been heavily linked with Manchester City all summer, with just one year on his Gunners contract bringing his future into doubt. But could a return to Barcelona now be on the cards? The Chilean left the Nou Camp for London in 2014 but will know his Champions League and trophy-winning ambitions will be met if he were to go back to his former employers.
