Emery: PSG can win UCL with Neymar

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Barcelona star Neymar

The signing of Barcelona star Neymar could propel Paris Saint-Germain into Champions League contention, says the Ligue 1 clubโ€™s coach, Unai Emery.

Reports in the Brazil internationalโ€™s homeland have claimed that Neymar is prepared to accept a contract offer from PSG, as the capital club intend to activate a โ‚ฌ222-million release clause in his Camp Nou contract.

Barca claimed to be โ€˜200 per centโ€™ certain that Neymar would remain in Spain, but it is claimed that the striker wishes to be the outright star in a team โ€“ a status he is denied as part of the โ€˜MSNโ€™ front line at Barca alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

Neymar played a leading role in Barcaโ€™s stunning comeback from 4-0 down to PSG in last seasonโ€™s Champions League, but Emery says adding further star power to his squad could prevent such a collapse in the future.

โ€˜PSG wants the best players in the world, who are in the best clubs in the world,โ€™ Emery told Lโ€™Equipe.

โ€˜If we want to compete with Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Real Madrid and win the Champions League, then PSG must have a player of the world top five. We are trying to get one signed this summer.โ€™

Zlatan Ibrahimovicโ€™s departure for Manchester United a year ago stripped PSG of their biggest-name talent, and Emeryโ€™s first season in charge was a disappointment as they lost out to Monacoโ€™s burgeoning stars in Ligue 1.

And the Spanish coach says bringing a headline act to the Parc des Princes is a priority.

โ€˜Neymar belongs to the top five in the world,โ€™ he said. โ€˜The president and the club have been working for years to attract the best players.

โ€˜The team, but also the fans, would be glad that there is a top five, six or seven player in addition to the already strong ones who are here.

โ€˜This quest is not easy. Maybe weโ€™ll get there, maybe not.โ€™

โ€“ This story originally appeared on FourFourTwo.co.za