The looming figure of Neymar

Real fans uninterested in the potential cost

Posted Sunday, August 19, 2018 by Marca.com

Florentino Perez is facing a testing final two weeks of the summer transfer window with Real Madrid supporters desperate for a new signing in the form of Neymar.

Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup defeat to Atletico Madrid has only furthered this deep desire for Los Blancos to make an expensive splash in the transfer market, yet this isn't a desire that Perez shares.

Make no mistake, there isn't a single figure behind the scenes who would like to bring the Brazilian to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu more than the president, yet he doesn't believe it to be a deal worth making at any cost to the club.

Julen Lopetegui is also hopeful of new signings and has made his own pleas to the club's hierarchy that a centre-forward arrives before the deadline passes.

However, the club has only offered names that would represent backup options to Karim Benzema, or players that wouldn't set the market alight in terms of a fee.

Both Jose Angel Sanchez and Perez share the belief that with the current squad in place, Los Blancos are more than capable of winning the Champions League yet again.

Whilst the fact the alternative signings aren't of the same quality as Neymar, it's almost impossible to satisfy supporters after rumours linking the Brazilian with the Spanish giants almost since he joined Paris Saint-Germain.

Few players can be compared to the former Santos prodigy, either in commercial or footballing terms and this in theory would appeal to Real Madrid.

Lopetegui is a realist and is aware that making a late move for Neymar would be near impossible at this stage, however, he's convinced that it would be beneficial for the club to add players to improve his squad enough to get by until the time arrives when a truly global star can arrive.