LANDOVER, Md. -- Barcelona defender Gerard Pique says his tweet about Neymar staying at the club was not anything official and confirmed the Brazilian is weighing up an offer from Paris Saint-Germain, who are prepared to pay his €222 million buyout clause.
Pique posted an image on Twitter on Sunday of himself with teammate Neymar, along with the message "Se queda," which translates as "He stays."
However, he revealed on Tuesday that it's just his intuition that Neymar will remain at Camp Nou, where he has a contract until 2021, and confirmed that the players are trying to convince him to turn down the French club's offer.
"It's a personal opinion from conversations I've had with him -- it's my intuition," Pique said about the tweet in a news conference at the FedEx Field ahead of Wednesday's International Champions Cup game against Jose Mourinho's Manchester United.
Barça training at the FedEx pic.twitter.com/DwuRLDS32s
- Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) July 25, 2017
"When we speak with Neymar, not just me, but all teammates who have a good relationship with him, we try to explain to him as a teammate and a friend the situation he's in. I've told him the situation is understandable, he has options on the table.
"It could be a matter of money, but I don't think it is. It could be about sporting projects, but I don't think so, because Barca remains the best place for that. Maybe it's to be the star, because here he has Leo [Messi], the best player in the world.
"He's only 25, a great player, but in Paris, if he doesn't win the Champions League he won't get the recognition he will deserve. That's his only option in Paris, because, with all due respect, it's an inferior league. He still has doubts, but we're trying to convince him."
Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte reported on Tuesday that Neymar was not upset by Pique's photo, but it did perturb his agent and father, Neymar Sr., who was caught by surprise while he tries to negotiate with both Barcelona and PSG.
Sources told ESPN FC at the weekend that Neymar has already personal terms with PSG, with the player offered €30 million per year after taxes.
However, Barca have been hard at work trying to convince him to stay, with Pique, Messi, Luis Suarez and board members all desperately trying to persuade him to change his mind, according to the Catalan media.
Speaking alongside Pique, Javier Mascherano, who exclusively told ESPN FC last week that Neymar is the future of the club, confirmed everyone, including Messi, has spoken with Neymar about his situation.
"It's a personal decision for Ney," Mascherano said. "What Pique says is what everyone is feeling because of Ney's quality and his character around the club.
"We've all had a little chat with him, including Leo, because it's the group's desire that Ney stays with us."
Edinson Cavani, who could be a teammate of Neymar's should he make the switch to Paris, admitted the addition of a player of the Brazilian's quality is something any club would want, but refused to be drawn out any further on the matter.
Cavani said at PSG's news conference in Miami: "He is a great player and playing with great players is always a pleasure. However, this is the transfer window and I cannot say anything on this topic. I am concentrated on our squad and on the teammates that I already have here."
ESPN FC correspondent Jonathan Johnson contributed to this report.