Barcelona have set Neymar a goal target to reach before they will consider a summer reunion with the winger, a report has claimed.
Neymar returned to Santos in January after agreeing to the termination of his contract with Saudi side Al Hilal, having seen injuries restrict him to just seven appearances in 18 months following his 90m move from Paris Saint-Germain.
Having inked a six-month contract with Santos, Neymar's intention is to prove he is still capable of performing at a level high enough for an elite side in Europe, and it emerged late last month that talks had been held with Barcelona over a surprise reunion at the end of the season.
According to Spanish publication SPORT, those in charge at Barcelona have challenged the 33-year-old to score at least 15 goals across the next six months to convince them he is capable of making an impact in La Liga again.
As it stands, Barcelona have not advanced their interest in Neymar beyond that, making it abundantly clear that he must prove both his fitness and his level before he can be considered a viable target for the club.
Neymar's goal record at Barcelona between 2013 and 2017
Season | Appearances (all comps) | Goals (all comps) |
|---|---|---|
2013/14 | 41 | 15 |
2014/15 | 51 | 39 |
2015/16 | 49 | 31 |
2016/17 | 45 | 20 |
Progress towards that goal has been smooth so far. Neymar has started six of his seven appearances for Santos so far and has already racked up three goals and three assists.
The agent who helped Neymar move to Barcelona all the way back in 2013, Andre Cury, recently insisted the Brazil international would jump at the chance to return to Catalonia.
"Neymar will be a free agent in July and is regaining his fitness in Brazil," Cury told RAC1. "If there is any chance to return to Barcelona, he will do so with great pleasure, I'm sure of it. If the club backs his signing and decides to go for him, it could happen."
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