It's no secret that Barcelona want to re-sign Neymar.

Barcelona tried desperately to sign him last summer but couldn't come to an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain.

Since then, both Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique have expressed their desire for Neymar to return.

And it appears Barcelona are going to make another attempt to secure his services this summer.

According to ESPN, Barca view Neymar as 'an incredible footballer and the natural heir to Lionel Messi'. They will also do 'everything possible to bring him back.'

Their first priority is to negotiate with PSG over the transfer but, if they cannot come to agreement, they could exploit a little-known FIFA rule to get the transfer over the line.

Article 17 was created in 2001 when the European Commission threatened to outlaw the transfer system within the European Union because it undermined players' freedom of movement compared to other workers.

It says that players can leave their contracts 'without just cause' once the three-year protection period ends.

So that's what Barcelona are considering doing with Neymar if they can't agree to a deal with PSG.

For it to come into fruition, the first step would be for the Brazilian, who has been at PSG since 2017, to terminate his contract. There would be nothing PSG could do to stop it.

If Neymar does that, Barca and PSG would then have to sit down at the table with the aim of reaching an agreement.

If they can't come to an agreement, FIFA would then try and settle the fee. If one or both the clubs disagree with the outcome, they would then reserve the right to appeal to CAS.

It certainly would be one of the most incredible transfers in football history. Only a few clubs have ever tried to exploit the rule since it's introduction.

But it's likely to have serious repercussions. If Barca did use Article 17, it would no doubt ruin their friendship with PSG.

The French club would, rightfully, be livid and would likely never want to deal with Barca again. Barcelona's reputation would also take a hit.

Moreover, If Barca were to sign Neymar and then refuse to come up with the figure agreed, they would risk severe punishment.

ESPN claim they could be given a two-window transfer ban or given a massive fine. So there's a lot of risk involved.

Time will tell if Barca deem it necessary to exploit Article 17 in order to get Neymar back.