Neymar touches down in China ahead of PSG medical as his £196m exit from Barcelona grows nearer

Neymar has arrived in China enroute to the Middle East for his medical with PSG, ahead of what is set to become the biggest football transfer of all time.

The Brazilian icon touched down in Shanghai and dived straight into his promotional duties, all the while the football world has been talking non-stop about his future. Neymar was present for the Replay new Fall/Winter 2017-18 fashion collection, taking centre stage in front of the flashing cameras in China's biggest city.

The 25-year-old is probably best served getting used to the limelight, with his seemingly imminent move to PSG set to make him the most expensive footballer of all time, by quite some considerable distance.

The French club are on the brink of triggering Neymar's £196m (€222m) release clause, in a deal which would collectively more than double the current world transfer record of Paul Pogba to Manchester United. Neymar looked calm and collected as he posed in front of the cameras, proudly sporting the new collection pieces of the clothing brand.

His return flight to Europe is to be routed back through Qatar, where Neymar will undertake a quick medical for his new club. Should things progress smoothly Neymar could be unveiled as a PSG player at some point this week, shocking the football world by turning his back on Barcelona. At the beginning of the summer Barca knew he had been flirting with the competition again, but didn’t believe any club could pay the €222m buy-out clause.

There is a suggestion – emanating from Brazil – that while he is in Qatar Neymar will also sign a €300m (£265m) commercial deal to promote the 2022 World Cup.

This would give him the money to pay his own buy-out clause, meaning UEFA would then not be able to accuse PSG of breaking financial fair play rules because it would have been Neymar who would be fronting the cost himself. Motive behind Neymar's departure from Barca is believed to be based on the player's desire to be the undisputed No 1 at his club - something he will never truly be able to achieve in Catalonia because of the presence of Lionel Messi.

In Paris Neymar will be the biggest of all names, the first player on the team-sheet with a choice of where he would preferably like to play. With PSG's Qatar hierarchy determined to land the Champions League, the addition of one of the most talented players in world football is seen as the final piece of the puzzle.

At PSG, Neymar is also expected to elevate his status as a strong challenger for the prestigious Ballon d'Or trophy.