Neymar stays with Barcelona

BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 13: Neymar JR of FC Barcelona in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between FC Barcelona and Celtic FC at Camp Nou on September 13, 2016 in Barcelona. Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Getty Images). (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 13: Neymar JR of FC Barcelona in action during the UEFA Champions League Group C match between FC Barcelona and Celtic FC at Camp Nou on September 13, 2016 in Barcelona. Spain. (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Getty Images). (Photo by Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images) /
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The greatest news any Barcelona fan can hear happened in the last few weeks. Neymar resigned with Barcelona for five years tying him to the club until the Summer of 2021.

Now this was not a given, certainly at the start of the summer transfer window there were many rumblings that the Brazilian Astro would depart the club in search of more lucrative deal. He sure did have on option, with Paris Saint Germain offering a ridiculous 40 million euros a year for the player. According to his own agent, he was also offered a private jet to and from international matches along with a  stake in the teams new hotel venture that would bear his name. Those are incredible benefits he turned down to stay with Barcelona and turn it into quite possibly one of the greatest ever.

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Neymar is a great individual talent and he can transcend at Barcelona. I believe he is the second most important player at Barcelona, only behind Lionel Messi. Neymar is in fact probably the third best player in the world and with that talent in one club it can go about exacting monumental success. As a player, his skills on the ball and his improved passing has been a real surprise as he’s become a more complete player. He has shown willingness to contribute to defending as well, which will only ingratiate himself to the fans.

While keeping the trio of MSN together long-term will prove to be a challenge, it’s something that should be top priority for the club. Neymar staying with the club proves a big powerhouse club can still outweigh the prospect of a huge payday with the promise of playing for one of the top three clubs in the world. With such a bright future to look forward to, Barcelona have stocked up on future stars like, Umtiti, Sergi Roberto, Denis Suarez and Rafinha. Neymar spearheading the team in the not so distant future is a welcome sign to fans worried about life after Messi, that FC Barcelona will still be a major player for years to come.