Edinson Cavani’s feud with Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Neymar has escalated after the Uruguayan rejected a €1million offer by the club to pass on penalty duties to the Brazilian skipper.
According to reports in Spain, Spanish publication El Pais have claimed that the Uruguayan striker was offered the payment, which amounts to the bonus he would receive should he finish as the club’s top goal scorer in Ligue 1 this season, but the striker has snubbed the enticing offer.
PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been in talks with Cavani and his representatives in a bid to reach an agreement following the embarrassing public fall-out during the club’s 2-0 win over Lyon on September 18.
Neymar was seen remonstrating against Cavani as they both stood over the spot arguing over who should take the penalty having earlier squabbled over who to take a set-piece.
The two forwards, who combined cost the French giants an eye-watering £253million, had seemed to be striking up a potent partnership after the Brazilian’s world-record move from Barcelona this summer. But L’Equipe reported after the incident that the pair had to be kept apart in the dressing room and while manager Unai Emery has said he will intervene should they row again, it has now been reported that the issue is yet to be resolved. The Spanish daily claim the PSG squad are backing Cavani on the matter, with the 30-year-old designated as the club’s penalty taker before Neymar’s arrival.
His subsequent miss against Lyon could jeopardise his position despite the exceptional circumstances surrounding the spot-kick, but it is his unwillingness to meet his club’s offer that threatens to create a divide within the camp.
Al-Khelaifi had hoped that by offering Cavani €1m he would pacify an increasingly rebellious dressing room, but his attempts were in vain.
Cavani, according to El Pais, is not interested in being given extra money, and is refusing to change his stance on being the penalty taker, believing that as the club’s third captain in line, he has responsibilities he must shoulder. Both Neymar and Cavani are expected to feature for PSG as they take on Bayern Munich in matchday 2 of the Champions League on Wednesday, September 27, 2017.
