Ernesto Valverde has rejected claims that Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar is pleading for a return to Barcelona.

Spanish outlet El Mundo reported on Thursday that the 26-year-old is angling for a move back to Camp Nou, less than two years after departing for PSG in a record £198m transfer.

Neymar has allegedly grown frustrated at the Parc des Princes and, through his father and representatives, has been in constant contact with his former club over an end-of-season switch.

Valverde denies that this is the case, however, and says there are no plans in place for Barca to snap up Neymar in the sumer.

"In the first place, that's not the case, and Neymar left because that's what he decided, and from there we have nothing more to say," he told reporters.

"We never talked about players who have contracts with other clubs, at the time he decided to leave Barca, a completely legitimate decision on his part."

Neymar, who missed last weekend's comfortable 3-0 Ligue 1 win over Amiens, has a combined 48 goals and assists in 32 league matches for the Parisians since joining in August 2017.