Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain for money, former Barcelona president says

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has claimed Brazilian superstar Neymar left the Catalan club to join Paris Saint-Germain for money.

Neymar, 26, joined PSG from Barcelona for a world record fee of £198m ($274m) in August last year and reportedly earns around £600,000 per week in wages at the Parc des Princes.

The Brazil international has scored 19 goals in 20 Ligue 1 appearances for the Ligue 1 side this season, but he fractured his metatarsal during PSG's 3-0 win over Marseille on February 25 and is unlikely return to action before the end of the campaign.

Gaspart, who served as Barcelona's president between 2000 and 2003, dismissed comparisons between Neymar's exit from the club and that of Figo, who left Barca to join arch rivals Real Madrid in 2000.

"Neymar's possible move to Madrid is not comparable with Figo," Gaspart told Radio Marca. "Figo left with treachery and with no time to renew the team, and he was a coward who betrayed us.

"Neymar went for money, full stop."

Neymar underwent surgery earlier this week in Brazil to alleviate the metatarsal injury he sustained in the win over Marseille.

PSG coach Unai Emery initially suggested that the injury was not serious and raised the possibility of the forward returning in time to play against Real Madrid in the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 this week.

However, the French club's medical staff and the Brazil national team agreed after further assessments that a surgery was the best option to alleviate the injury.

"Neymar Jr underwent surgery today at the Materdei Hospital in Belo Horizonte," PSG said in a statement on 3 March.

"The operation, conducted by Doctor Rodrigo Lasmar, was successful. The operation consisted of the laying of a screw associated with a transplant fixed at the level of the lesion of the fifth metatarsal of the right foot.

"Re-education will begin immediately under the direction of a club physiotherapist. Neymar's injury will be assessed in six weeks' time to establish a possible date for his return to training."

Lasmar said he expected Neymar to be out of action between two-and-a-half and three months and return just in time for the start of the World Cup in Russia.

PSG lost 3-1 to Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 in Spain and host the defending European champions at the Parc des Princes on March 6.