Starting With Real Madrid Chapter 1263: Neymar is Completely Finished

"Do you rember those years—Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City..."

Gao Shen paused for a mont, then laughed out loud. "Back then, every top team in Europe wanted to sign you!"

At that mont, Brazilian prodigy Neymar was sitting on the sofa across from him. At first, he looked relaxed and casual, but after hearing Gao Shen's words, his expression stiffened slightly.

Who hasn't had a glorious past?

But for so people, that past is sothing they'd rather forget.

"Gao, just tell what you really want to say," Neymar said with a slight smile.

They were both smart. There was no need for all this preamble.

"I just want to confirm—do you truly want to leave Paris?" Gao Shen had been waiting for this question. Now, he cut straight to the point, staring directly at Neymar and giving him no room to dodge.

The Brazilian was clearly caught off guard. He hadn't expected Gao Shen, who was just reminiscing a second ago, to launch such a direct attack.

He was stunned.

"I... I don't think I've ever said that?" Neymar forced a smile, trying to brush it off.

"You just told to say what I ant," Gao Shen pressed, not letting go.

Neymar could no longer act casual. His relaxed posture stiffened.

He had no right to act arrogant in front of Gao Shen—not just because of Gao Shen's reputation and status, but because he could sense this man was different from everyone else in Paris before.

Since arriving from Barcelona, Neymar had always been the untouchable superstar of Paris Saint-Germain, the player everyone protected and pampered.

But Gao Shen was different. He never sugar-coated things and never showed rcy.

Even now, many people still recall how Gao Shen once took on superstars like Ronaldo and Zidane when he first managed Real Madrid.

Even Roberto Carlos, who used to tell everyone how much he hated Gao Shen, had changed his tune in recent years and publicly reconciled with him in the dia and online.

Why?

Because Gao Shen was right!

Lies and self-deception only last for so long.

"So... you're thinking about selling ?" Neymar asked cautiously.

Gao Shen laughed, then shook his head. "It's hard to say. But I hope you and your team can contact the club soon and reach an agreent on the transfer. That way, we can move forward with our plans and bring in players in a targeted manner."

"Like Mbappé?" Neymar asked.

"If you leave, he will co!" Gao Shen said firmly.

Neymar was smart. He understood what Gao Shen ant, but he still asked again to be sure, "What if I don't plan to leave?"

Gao Shen didn't answer directly. Instead, he smiled and said, "Not long ago, when Nasser and Blanc ca to Leeds to et , I told them, 'Neymar and Mbappé are not compatible.'"

Neymar's expression changed instantly.

This was an internal conversation between Gao Shen and the core PSG leadership, sothing he would never have known.

Gao Shen's stance was clear: if Neymar stays, Mbappé won't co. If Neymar goes, Mbappé will arrive.

Do Gao Shen's words carry weight?

The answer was obvious.

Paris Saint-Germain had already removed Leonardo, Antero Henrique, and others for Gao Shen. They had essentially handed him full control of the club's football operations. He was now the ultimate decision-maker.

So, did his words matter?

Absolutely.

Gao Shen was closely observing Neymar's reaction and could already read most of his thoughts. But he still pressed forward because he knew Neymar was fickle.

Or rather, all Brazilian geniuses are.

"You might not realize this," Gao Shen continued, "but you've beco a problem for ."

"Maybe you'll think I'm being disrespectful, but I'm telling the truth. This is my dilemma."

"If I keep you, I honestly don't know what value you bring to the team I want to build. But if I sell you, I really can't think of any club that would pay that kind of money for you right now."

"Real Madrid? I can say with absolute certainty—impossible!"

"Manchester City? Manchester United? Chelsea? Bayern Munich? Or back to Barcelona?"

"No one is questioning your talent, but you're 27 years old now. You're not young anymore."

Gao Shen's words were harsh, but true.

This is a world that belongs to young players.

Neymar no longer had any edge over younger stars like Mbappé or Dembélé.

More importantly, he still hadn't won any major honors. He even flopped at the Brazil-hosted World Cup, despite sky-high expectations.

Considering Neymar's situation, his transfer fee would be astronomical. His wages were also enormous. Whichever club he joined—except maybe Barcelona—he would disrupt their entire wage structure. That was sothing all top teams had to seriously consider.

And the bigger question: What could Neymar bring to his new team?

Neymar had no response—because the man sitting across from him was Gao Shen.

Even the fiery Cristiano Ronaldo had to swallow his pride when facing him.

"Or..." Gao Shen leaned in, staring Neymar down, giving him no space to breathe.

"Let's be direct. Just tell whether you want to stay or leave. If you want to leave, have your people submit a transfer request. I'll sign it right away. Then I'll add money and bring in Mbappé!"

"If you want to stay, then tell what you can do for my team!"

...

From the ti he entered to the mont he left, it took less than 15 minutes—far shorter than anyone expected.

Neymar was still dazed when he walked out.

Because the entire conversation had been nothing like he imagined. There was no warmth, no gentle persuasion. It was all pressure, unrelenting and suffocating.

It felt more like Gao Shen was breaking down his confidence, piece by piece, crushing his ego.

Neymar had never faced this kind of confrontation before. No one had ever spoken to him like that.

At Santos, he was a national treasure.

From the mont he debuted, he was hailed as the future of Brazilian football.

His father recognized his talent early and understood he could bring the family unimaginable wealth. Santos knew it too.

From then on, Neymar played under the constant praise of others, with his reputation growing rapidly.

Everyone knows the story.

The biggest clubs in Europe all wanted him. He played Barcelona and Real Madrid against each other.

Eventually, he joined Barcelona. Then, unhappy with his treatnt, he left. PSG triggered a record-breaking release clause and gave him a historic transfer.

From start to finish, Neymar was surrounded by people who catered to him.

But today, Gao Shen shattered that entire illusion.

He was angry, but more than that, he was afraid.

He wanted to argue back, to refute everything Gao Shen said—but deep down, he knew Gao Shen was right.

Leaving Paris Saint-Germain now would only accelerate his downfall.

And then, the entire football world would see him—Neymar, once the supposed third-best player in the world—as a joke.

What's worse is that he would have brought it upon himself.

Gao Shen would take the money from his sale and use it to buy Mbappé.

If Mbappé really led PSG to rise again, Neymar would be completely finished.

...

Watching Neymar walk away like a zombie, Tuchel and Blanc were both stunned. They quickly ca over from the room next door.

"What happened?" Tuchel asked, pointing at Neymar, who had already disappeared. "Did the talk fall apart?"

Gao Shen sat there calmly, sipping water. "No, we had a very pleasant chat."

Pleasant?

Tuchel and Blanc exchanged glances, unable to believe it.

Did that look like soone who just had a pleasant conversation?

"What exactly did you say to him?" Tuchel asked.

"The truth."

Once again, Tuchel and Blanc were left speechless.

"He's been pampered his whole life, treated like a prince. So I told him the reality, and I shared my views."

"Like...?" Blank prompted.

"I told him that if he wants to stay, he needs to think about what he can contribute to the team. If he wants to leave, he should go find a club soon. I'll sell him and use the money to buy Mbappé!"

Tuchel and Blanc's eyes widened.

Sell Neymar and add money to buy Mbappé?

What kind of crazy move was this?

But why... did it sound so tempting?

"Aren't you afraid he might actually leave?"

"That would be ideal. Get rid of this ti bomb. Have you seen how few gas he plays per season?" Gao Shen's tone was already filled with frustration.

Is Neymar talented?

Absolutely. When he plays, he's PSG's most dangerous player.

But why could he play 50 gas a season at Barcelona, yet only 30 per season at PSG?

Yes, PSG has issues—structural, disciplinary, and even professional. But Neymar also has problems.

From the Qatari owners' perspective, keeping Neymar makes so sense. But from a footballing standpoint, he's a liability. And the remote control to that ticking bomb is in Neymar's own hands.

Should the whole team be expected to please him, cheer him up whenever he's down?

"From the mont I first coached Real Madrid, I learned sothing. In a team, in a dressing room, there must be rules—and they are my rules!"

Tuchel and Blanc were the first to feel the pressure of that statent.

It was an aura stronger than Neymar's, stronger than anyone else's.

After a mont, Gao Shen looked at Tuchel again.

"Go back and observe him closely. See if there are any changes. If he settles down, then you can step in and comfort him. Understand what I an?" Gao Shen asked.

Tuchel and Blanc both understood instantly.

Gao Shen didn't just do this to establish authority and send a ssage to the squad. He was also giving Tuchel an opportunity—to win Neymar over, and win the dressing room.

Tuchel was strong-willed but not foolish. He understood Gao Shen's deeper aning and nodded in appreciation.

(To be continued.)