Neymar became the world’s most expensive footballer back in August after Paris St Germain smashed the transfer record by paying Barcelona £198m for the Brazilian superstar.

His start to life in Paris has, statistically, been very fruitful, with the forward bagging 15 goals in 18 matches so far this season, leaving him just five short of the total number of goals he scored for Barcelona during the last campaign.

However, his Parisian adventure hasn’t exactly gone off without a hitch. Despite their frighteningly good form which sees them already nine points clear at the top of Ligue 1, there have been plenty of rumblings of discontent surrounding the Brazilian.

The word is that he hasn’t settled all that well in the French capital and that he’s had bust-ups with both Edinson Cavani and PSG boss Unai Emery which have apparently left the Brazil international stressed according to some reports.

Infamously back in September, Neymar and Cavani clashed during a match while fighting over who should be on penalty duty, and since then, rumours of a Neymar exit have been doing the rounds.

Should he decide to cut short his stay in Paris, Real Madrid could be a destination.

Madrid president Florentino Perez has added further fuel to the fire by suggesting that Neymar would stand a better chance of winning the Ballon d’Or if he were a Real Madrid player, in what is the biggest hint yet that Real are looking to land the former Barcelona star.

Speaking on Spanish radio, Perez said: “Being in Madrid would make it easier to win the Ballon d'Or.

“Madrid is a club that gives a big player everything they need to do so. Everyone knows I wanted to sign him.”

Neymar finished third in the 2017 Ballon d’Or behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on Thursday, but Perez seems to think that it could be a different story in the future should the forward jump ship to Real Madrid.

Perez tried to sign Neymar back in 2013 before the Brazilian sealed a move to arch-rivals Barcelona.

Madrid could have the last laugh, though, if they were to pull off what would be one of the most shocking transfers in recent history.

They’re no strangers after all to prying Barcelona’s best and brightest over to the Spanish capital, most famously when Luis Figo made the switch from Catalonia to Madrid back in 2000 and allegedly when they ‘stole’ Alfredo Di Stefano from under their rivals’ noses back in 1953.

Securing Neymar, albeit indirectly, from Barcelona would be the very last thing Catalans would want to see, especially since they’re still trying to get over his PSG exit. Pulling on the white shirt of Madrid would be the ultimate bridge-burner.