A return to Barcelona for Neymar Jr. has been mooted by the media in recent weeks, but the veteran Brazilian is not part of the Catalan giants' plans.

The 33-year-old signed a short-term deal with first-team Santos after leaving Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia six months early. However, his current deal only runs for six months and he would be available to the Blaugrana as a free agent.

Over the weekend, agent Andre Cury stated that "Neymar would love to return to Barca", while another agent with close ties to Barcelona, Pini Zahavi, has represented him in the past. Zahavi has a close relationship with Barcelona president Joan Laporta, who is keen to ensure they have a star attraction in town for their return to the Camp Nou when it is ready.

However, MD claim that Neymar is simply not in their plans for next summer, free agent or not. They say that Neymar does not fit the profile of the players Barcelona are looking for, either in terms of age or quality, and that they have other priorities.

One of them is a centre-forward who can replace Robert Lewandowski and who can score goals. Left-back is a position they are looking at, but they are more closely linked with AC Milan's Rafael Leao and Liverpool's Luis Diaz, and believe they would be a better fit for the project.

Recent reports, first published by Joan Fontes, also suggest that Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has serious doubts about Neymar's arrival. He feels that the veteran does not fit into the team he is building, not least because of his intensity and demands off the ball. It certainly seems an odd fit in terms of what he can bring to the pitch, even if his quality would undoubtedly be an asset.