Real Madrid have set their sights on signing Neymar this summer, with the European champions confident they can prise the Brazil international from Paris Saint-Germain, whom he joined for a world-record transfer fee, believed to be close to £200m, in 2017. Neymar is understood to have encouraged Madrid’s interest and is set to be rewarded with an increase on his current net salary of more than £25m a year.

Kylian Mbappe’s emergence as a Ballon d’Or winnner in waiting, coupled with the pressure the Qatar-owned club are under to adhere to Uefa Financial Fair Play regulations, could help facilitate the move. Neymar’s sale would allow PSG to create valuable space on their wage bill while recovering most of the payment required to sign him from