Neymars agent has once again claimed a Manchester United approach for his client. In a TV interview with ESPN Brasil, Wagner Ribeiro talked about the details of the player’s renewal with Barcelona and commented on the offers he had to leave.
The official said that Paris Saint German, Real Madrid and Manchester United all wanted the player, and the French side were leading the race.
In a meeting in Ibiza, the club officials talked to Neymar and even offered him a hotel network around the world with his name, giving the player a percentage of it.
But Barcelona were also working on a contract renewal, and Neymar’s desire was to stay at the club.
“Neymar’s dad negotiated with Barcelona for him to stay. I negotiated with PSG for him to go. Of course, always supporting on the bid we had from PSG.”
When asked if PSG ever thought he was using them to get a better contract at Barcelona, Ribeiro said: “Since the beginning, they said that. ‘Isn’t it a play for you?’ I said look, if it was a play to up Neymar’s value, I’d use Real Madrid, who were on us. Manchester United, who sent a huge amount. Nothing better than using Real Madrid, who are Barcelona’s biggest competitors. So it’s not.”
So a reporter asked that between PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester United’s bids, which one shook the player more.
“PSG”, said Ribeiro. “Because Florentino didn’t go to talk to Neymar. Neither Manchester United’s CEO (Edward Woodward). But Nasser Al-Khelaïfi went to talk to him in Ibiza.”
The Woodward personal touch may well have made a transfer more possible for Manchester United, but given that PSG offered Neymar half the world, and went to see him, yet he still remained a distant prospect, it seems it may have been a wasted trip.
