Barcelona’s negotiations to close a deal with Santos for Neymar are reportedly being held up by the player’s father.
The Catalans are understood to have sent out director Raul Senllehi to Brazil this week to try and wrap up a deal to sign the 21-year-old inside the next few days.
Sport understand that Senllehi yesterday met with Andre Cury, a confidant of Sandro Rosell’s based in the country, Neymar’s father, Neymar Snr, and Marquinhos Malaquias, an assistant to Cury and close to both Barca and Neymar’s father.
However, where it is understood that Santos and the two investment firms that hold percentage shares in Neymar’s playing rights are all eager to sell, even before the Confederations Cup, the Brazilian club and Barcelona are both reported as disappointed by Neymar Snr.
The player’s father, who is also his representative, is understood to be putting obstacles in the way of the move being completed, out of a reported wish to see an improved offer come in should Neymar perform well at mid-June’s Confederations Cup.
Should Santos and Barca find a way to convince Neymar’s father to come around to the sale, any deal will not be announced until Monday at the earliest, due to Santos’ participation in the second leg of the Campeonato Paulista Final.
