Neymar says he doesn’t need to prove himself

Neymar said Saturday that he wants to stay with Paris Saint-Germain and does not "need to prove" himself to anyone after five years with the French club.

The 30-year-old Brazilian said no one from PSG had spoken to him regarding his future but he wants to continue playing in the French capital alongside Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.

"I still want to stay here with the club," Neymar said after PSG's 3-0 win over J-League side Urawa Reds on the club's tour of Japan.

Paris Saint-Germain's players pose for a team photo before PSG's Japan Tour football match against Urawa Reds at the Saitama Stadium in Saitama on July 23, 2022. Photo: AFP

"So far the club hasn't said anything to me so I don't know what their plans are for me.

"I don't need to prove myself to anyone -- I just need to play my football and I have to be happy playing football," he added.

Neymar said he was feeling "fit" after coming on as a substitute with Messi to play the last 30 minutes of Saturday's game.

He said it was "too early to speak about" his impression of new coach Christophe Galtier, who arrived at PSG from Nice at the end of last season.

Galtier said Neymar "has been working well" in pre-season and "seems happy and very fit".

"What will happen in the near future when the transfer window closes, I don't know," said Galtier.

"We announce he's leaving, we announce he's staying -- I haven't spoken to Ney about this. But he doesn't seem to be bothered about what is said about him and his situation at the club."