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'Big players need to play in Madrid' – Marcelo urges Neymar to join Real

The full-back has once again stated how he would love his fellow Brazilian to return to La Liga and join him at Santiago Bernabeu

Marcelo has urged his Brazil team-mate Neymar to join him at Champions League finalists Real Madrid.

Neymar has been linked with a return to La Liga, despite leaving Barcelona for PSG for a world-record €222 million (£194m/$260m) fee less than a year ago.

The 25-year-old won Ligue 1’s Player of the Year award with 19 goals in 20 games, but missed the end of the campaign due to injury and also made headlines during the season for clashing with Edinson Cavani.

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As a result, Neymar is eager to force a move to Real Madrid, but will have to battle PSG’s chiefs to be allowed to leave so soon after moving to Paris.

A transfer to Madrid would be warmly welcomed by the stars of Los Blancos, with Marcelo hoping that he can play alongside Neymar for both club and country.

“Great players have to play here,” Marcelo told AS . “Real Madrid is very big and the big players needs to play in Real Madrid.”

This is the second time this month that the full-back has spoken about the possibility of Neymar joining Real, saying that he’d ‘love’ to play with him when asked following a 6-0 win over Celta Vigo.

“The best come to Madrid and I would love to play with Neymar,” he told reporters. “When I talk to Neymar, I’m not talking about Real Madrid or leaving PSG.”

Despite Marcelo’s excitement, Cristiano Ronaldo was quick to play down speculation linking Neymar with a move to Madrid, saying that there are many rumours every summer but most do not come to fruitition.

“At Madrid there is continually talk of signings,” Ronaldo told  El Chiringuito de Jugones .

“I have been here eight years and they are always talking about 50 players that are going to come, and in the end none come.

“In September a lot of players are going to come and then in the end those who reach the finals are always the same.”