Javier Pastore Offers Neymar the PSG Number 10 Shirt
In an act of high diplomacy Javier Pastore has welcomed his new teammate to Paris with the generous gift of the coveted number 10 jersey.
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With Neymar's controversial move to PSG confirmed on Wednesday, one big question remained unanswered for the loyal legion of the fans looking to get the fleet-footed Brazilian's name printed on their 2017-18 replica kits: What number will be wearing?
It's no secret that the former Santos man has his sights on the number 10 shirt - the same number he wears for his national team, but which was denied him at Barcelona because of a certain Lionel Messi.
Well, another Argentinean, Javier Pastore may have put an end to the speculation today by offering the coveted shirt to his new teammate.
Pastore, who joined the Ligue Un side from Palermo in 2011, is willing to make the sacrifice to satiate Neymar ahead of his arrival at the Parc des Princes.
Pastore a Nasser et Antero: "je veux offrir mon numéro a #neymar en tant que cadeau de bienvenue. Je veux qu'il se sente à l'aise et heureux dès le premier jour. Moi qui suis le premier arrivé, je veux lui donner tout le soutien dont il a besoin pour qu'on puisse gagner ensemble la LDC. C'est un détail, mais pour ca, a été important d'avoir ce numéro et maintenant je veux lui souhaite la bienvenue avec ce petit cadeau" Quel geste propre de Javier !! Pas beaucoup de footballeurs aurait fait ce geste 🔵🔴❤ c'est pour ca que je t'aime Javier A post shared by 🔵 Javier Pastore Fan Page 🔴 (@javier_pastore_fan10) on Aug 2, 2017 at 11:51am PDT
The 28-year-old communicated his decision to Antero Henrique, PSG's newly-appointed sporting director, and Nasser Al Khelaifi, the club's president, with the following statement:
"I would like to offer Neymar my shirt as a welcoming gift. I want him to feel at home and to enjoy himself from the get-go. As the first one here, I want to offer all the support necessary so we can go on and win the Champions League. [The number] isn't a big deal, but it meant a lot for me to wear it and now I want to welcome [Neymar] with this small gesture."
In turn PSG have reportedly assured Pastore that he is an irreplaceable member of the team and that there is no intention to sell him.
