Barcelona have blocked payment of a 26-million-euro ($31-million) bonus for star attacker Neymar as speculation mounts that he will move to Paris Saint-Germain, a source at the club said Tuesday.

The Brazilian football star, who is due to come back for training on Wednesday morning, is at the centre of an apparent tug of war between the two European giants in what would be the most expensive transfer fee in football history.

Speculation is mounting that the 25-year-old could quit Barcelona for PSG for a world-record 222 million euros.

“These 26 million euros have been placed with a notary pending to see if the player continues,” the source, who refused to be named, told AFP.