FC Barcelona players Lionel Messi (L) and Neymar attend a news conference to announce the sponsorship deal between the team and Japanese e-commerce operator Rakuten Inc. in Tokyo, Japan July 13, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
BARCELONA (Reuters) - Lionel Messi says he wanted Neymar to return to Barcelona this year as the Brazilian would have helped the club take a leap forward, adding that his former team mate was looking forward to rejoining the La Liga champions.
Barca spent the bulk of the close season negotiating with Paris St Germain to bring Neymar back to the Camp Nou two years after he left for a world record 222 million euros (198.77 million pounds) but the Catalans failed to strike a deal with the Ligue 1 champions.
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