Neymar: Nantes manager's cheeky in-game comment to PSG star

Neymar looks like a man reborn at Paris Saint-Germain.

Throughout the summer transfer window, the Brazilian has been heavily linked with a move away from the club he joined for a world record fee of £198 million in 2017.

But Neymar clearly wants to remain in Paris and on the pitch, the mercurial looks more determined to succeed than he ever has.

In pre-season, the former Barcelona forward turned in some wonderful displays and he was absolutely electric in PSG‘s 4-0 win over Nantes in the Trophee des Champions.

Neymar scored twice in the emphatic victory last Sunday evening courtesy of an inch-perfect free-kick and an ice-cold penalty.

And as well as delivering the goods in front of goal, the Brazil international is working hard and doing his bit defensively.

In recent times, Neymar – along with his partner-in-crime Lionel Messi – has been heavily criticised for being 'lazy' during matches.

But he appears to have had a change of mindset, one which Nantes manager Antoine Kombouare couldn’t resist making a cheeky comment about from the sideline.

In just the third minute of proceedings when the scores were level at 0-0, Neymar pressed his opponent and deflected the ball out for a throw-in.

Kombouare clearly couldn't believe what he'd just seen, because he said: "Are you defending now?"

Cheeky, very cheeky from Antoine.

But if this is the start of a new, positive chapter in the career of Neymar, one in which he works for the team and makes headlines for all the right reasons, PSG really are going to be a force to be reckoned with.

Messi and Neymar look revitalised, while Kylian Mbappe has pledged his long-term future to PSG.

If that trio finally click into gear after a fairly average debut season together, the sky is the limit for Christophe Galtier's side.

Barring any miracles, PSG will retain their Ligue 1 crown given the overwhelming strength of their squad compared with the rest of the division.

But it's in the Champions League where the likes of Neymar, Messi and Mbappe will be expected to deliver the goods this time around.

PSG crashed out in the last-16 against Real Madrid in 2021/22, despite the fact they were 2-0 up on aggregate with only 45 minutes of the tie remaining.

That cannot be allowed to happen again, particularly with the weapons currently at Galtier's disposal.