PSG confirm Neymar was a no-show without permission as pre-season training begins

No-show: Neymar
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Paris Saint-Germain confirmed on Monday that Neymar did not have permission to miss the first day of pre-season training.

The forward's future at the club is far from certain, less than two years on from his world-record £200m move from Barcelona.

A return to Catalonia has long been mooted and Barca's president Josep Maria Bartomeu said last week: "We know Neymar wants to leave PSG, but we also know that PSG don’t want him to leave."

This latest development risks further hurting an already fractious relationship between club and player, with Neymar enduring a string of disclipinary problems during his stay in Paris.

Neymar was banned for three matches by the French football authorities in May for hitting a fan after PSG's French Cup final loss to Stade Rennes, and was also reportedly involved in a dressing fracas with his PSG team-mates.

The Brazilian will also sit out the first three group games of the upcoming Champions League campaign for "insulting match officials" during PSG's home defeat to Manchester United.

A club statement read: On Monday 8 July Neymar da Silva Santos Junior was due to return to pre-season activities with the Paris Saint-Germain senior squad.

"Paris Saint-Germain notes that Neymar Jr was not in attendance at the agreed time and place. This was without the club’s prior authorisation.

"The club regrets this situation and will therefore take appropriate action."

Neymar's father responded to the statement to Fox Brazil, insisting his son's return on July 15 had been planned for some time.

He said: "The reason is known, scheduled a year ago with the annual schedule of [the player]. We could not change, and his return will be on the 15th. [There is] no controversy and PSG is informed."