He's staying - Pique eases Barcelona fears over Neymar

Barcelona star Gerard Pique has moved to ease fears that Neymar could leave for Paris Saint-Germain.

The Ligue 1 giants are thought to be keen to tie up a blockbuster €222million move for the Brazil star, who wants a switch to the Parc des Princes to be PSG's outright star player, according to reports in his homeland.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde has spoken of his desire to keep the fleet-footed forward in his squad, while several Barca team-mates have also revealed their certainty that Neymar will remain in place.

But Pique's social-media voice – whether discussing his own club or matters at their rivals – holds more weight than many of his colleagues, so even a simple message could be enough to assuage Barca fans' fears, the defender writing: "He's staying."

Neymar is yet to publicly reveal what his intentions are, but offered a reminder of his class with a fabulous brace against Juventus in pre-season action on Saturday.