Reports: Barcelona superstar tells friends that Manchester United and Chelsea are ready to activate his release clause
What’s the story?
Barcelona superstar Neymar has reportedly told his friends that Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea are both ready to activate his release clause and make a concrete effort of signing him in the summer transfer window. According to Duncan Castles’ report in Daily Record, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is said to have been particularly persistent in his pursuit to sign the 25-year-old Brazilian superstar.
Neymar has a release clause of €200 million or £168.5 million and Manchester United are reportedly ready to greenlight the deal and table a bid. If the Red Devils do indeed meet the release clause, Barcelona will be duty bound to inform the 25-year-old and then it will be upto Neymar to decide his future.
In case you didn’t know...
Neymar has long been linked with a move to the Premier League and Manchester United. Although he signed a new contract at Camp Nou in October that runs until 2021, the former Santos forward has revealed that a move to England is tempting.
"It's a championship that surprises me," he said at a PokerStars event. "I like the playing style and the teams.
"I admire Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool - these are the teams that are always fighting for the title. And then you have top-level coaches like Mourinho and [Pep] Guardiola. These are coaches any player would like to play for. Who knows? I'd like to play there."
Also, with Neymar involved in one legal tangle after another at Barcelona, the Brazilian might look for a change in scenery to concentrate on football without any distractions.
Also read: Bartomeu to stand trial over Neymar transfer after appeal is rejected
The heart of the matter
According to the reports, Neymar has told his close friends that both United and Chelsea have inquired as to whether he would be willing to leave Barcelona. Manchester United have reportedly decided to go all in with the Red Devils willing to meet Neymar’s £300,000/week wage demands and even buy out his Camp Nou contract if required.
United are no strangers to spending big money in the transfer market. Having broken the world record transfer fee this season for signing Paul Pogba, the Red Devils are ready to shatter the record once again in their pursuit of the talented Brazilian.
What’s next?
Manchester United have big plans in the transfer market, but a lot will depend on if the Red Devils manage to qualify for the Champions League next season. Stars like Neymar will want to play in Europe’s top competition and Mourinho will be determined to win the Europa League and book a ticket to the Champions League.
Also read: 5 clubs in a great position to break the transfer record this summer
Author’s take
Manchester United and Chelsea are both more than capable of meeting Neymar’s release clause, but Barcelona will be determined to keep hold of their prized asset. With United ready to go the extra step, Neymar’s future could well become the single most important story of the summer transfer window.