€400m Neymar is Real's number one target

It's the rumour that just won't go away. Despite the fact that Paris Saint-Germain smashed the world record transfer fee for Neymar just seven months ago, the forward has been continuously linked with a return to Spain throughout this season, with rumours persisting that Real Madrid are keen on bringing the ex-Barcelona man to the Bernabeu. 

Despite the fact that Neymar is currently not even playing due to his foot injury, the story surfaced again in Spain on Wednesday, as 'Marca' reported that Zinedine Zidane's side have made Neymar their top priority in summer. 

According to the 'Daily Mail', Neymar's father recently met with Real Madrid directors to discuss a deal in the region of €400m, a price which would dwarf the current world record transfer fee (€222m) that the Brazilian set last summer. If reports are to be believed, Neymar is keen to have the deal wrapped up before the World Cup in summer, with the forward not wanting the saga to distract from Brazil's tournament campaign.

All that being said, 'Marca' are also reporting that Real are lining up a list of possible alternatives, in case they are unable to secure their top target. Despite their eagerness to bring the forward to Madrid, they are said to understand the difficulties of such a high-profile deal, and are making contingency plans in case the move does not succeed.