Barcelona issue Neymar statement

Neymar will not be leaving Barcelona despite reports that Paris St-Germain have triggered his £195m release clause, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu has told BBC Sport.

The Brazil forward signed a new five-year contract until 2021 in October, with his release clause set to rise with each year of the deal.

Neymar who joined the Catalans from Santos in 2013 scored 13 goals as Barcelona came second, three points behind La Liga champions Real Madrid, last season.

Barcelona’s vice-president, Jordi Mestre, has insisted Brazil international Neymar will not leave the Spanish giants any time soon, while speaking at the presentation of Jose Segura, Barcelona’s new General Manager of Football

“I’m 200 per cent sure that he is going to stay. I’ve read information in the French press that PSG themselves have categorically denied it, a club with whom we are maintaining absolutely normal relations.

“Nothing has changed in that aspect. All the players in the squad are non-transferable. Nobody wants to leave here and everyone wants to come. Until proven otherwise, it’s the best squad and we’re counting on all of them, as Ernesto Valverde has said.

“We live in a time when football has evolved. We haveto accept that but we won’t change our way of acting.Sometimes there are players who take that step [away] and then regret it.

“In terms of the possibility of raising the salary of players in the academy to avoid departures, that’s a subject that is being studied.” said Mestre on The Daily Star.

Neymar won a third Copa del Rey with the Catalan club last season, adding to two La Liga titles and a Champions League.