Arthur 'praying' for Neymar's Barcelona return

Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo has expressed the hope that Brazil teammate Neymar will return to the Catalan club, less than 18 months after his world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

Neymar has scored 44 goals in 49 matches for the French side but there has been speculation that the 26-year-old is unhappy and angling for a return to the Camp Nou.

"Personally, I'm praying that he comes because he is a great player," Arthur was quoted as saying by Brazil's Uol news portal on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency.

"That's unquestionable. The more top qualify players we have, the better [for Barcelona]. But only he knows. I don't how if there are negotiations and possibilities of him coming back. He is a personal friend and a footballer who I admire a lot. I'd be really happy if he came back," he added.

Neymar won two La Liga titles, a Champions League title, three Spanish Cups, a Spanish Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in a four-year spell at Barcelona.

He became the most expensive footballer in history when he joined Paris Saint-Germain for 222 million euros in August 2017.

--IANS

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