Former Real Madrid star Kaka feels that if Neymar wants to join the Spanish giants he “must do it”, while sympathising with Brazil’s talisman amid the pressure he is under at the World Cup.
Speculation over a possible move to Madrid has been rife since Neymar reportedly met Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to express his unhappiness in the French capital after just one season with the Ligue 1 champions.
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Kaka, who played for Madrid between 2009 and 2013, suggested a move from Parc des Princes a year after arriving from Barcelona in a world-record €222million move might arouse suspicion over Neymar’s motives for moving to France.
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“It’s such a personal thing,” Kaka told Gazzetta dello Sport when asked whether he would advise the 26-year-old to join Madrid.
“If he does it now, maybe people will say he went to PSG just to build a bridge to Real.
“But if that’s what he wants, he must do it and must be ready to handle the situation.
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“On the other hand there is always so much pressure around him. In Brazil it is crazy. We talk about his performance, his class, but also his hair, the suitcases he carries.
“He’s a great player and also a celebrity, it’s not easy to manage all of this.”
Neymar has moved third in Brazil’s list of all-time leading goalscorers after scoring his first Russia 2018 goal late on in a 2-0 defeat of Costa Rica.
The PSG star hit 19 Ligue 1 goals in 20 appearances before suffering an injury in February, but Kaka says it is too soon to compare Neymar to previous Brazil greats such as Pele or Ronaldo.
“Neymar is 26, coming to the age of maturity for a player,” said Kaka.
“He is one of the candidates for the Ballon d’Or in future years because he is growing, while [Lionel] Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for age issues will have to start to face the declining phase.
“For Neymar we must suspend the judgment. He is a talent but his real greatness will be measured later.”
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