Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has played down reports linking his side with a potential summer swoop for Neymar.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN Brazil, Jose Mourinho has said that signing Neymar from Barcelona in the summer will be impossible for Manchester United and has claimed that he will not persuade the board into splashing the cash on the Brazilian.
“It’s speculation. I always try to be objective and pragmatic with clubs and to ask them what they can give me. To ask for Neymar is absurd,” the former Real Madrid manager said.
“A club like Barcelona can not and will not lose Neymar. Although Messi is still a young player with years ahead of him, he’s almost 30, and Neymar will be the great player of Barcelona post-Messi. So much that I think it [trying to sign Neymar] is like trying to break into a safe, impossible,” he added.
Since moving to Camp Nou in the summer of 2013, Neymar has continued to rise to meteoric heights, and has etched his name among one of the greatest footballers of the current generation.
After joining Barcelona for a mammoth €88 million fee, the pressure was on the Brazilian to deliver at the top level, and that is exactly what he has done in Spain. He has also impressed for the national side and has been handed the captain’s arm-band at a relatively tender age of 25.
Due to his prolific displays for club and country, there is no surprise that top European clubs are looking to seal a deal for a potential Ballon d’Or winner. However, it is highly improbable that the player will be lured away from Barcelona.
For starters, the 25-year-old recently put pen to paper to an extension at the club which has seen him commit his future until 2021. He also has a staggering buy-out clause that could skyrocket to €250 million once he enters the third year of his contract.
Despite United’s financial muscle, shelling out €250 million for a single player, may not prove to be the best piece of business. They have already been given plenty of stick for the money they paid for Paul Pogba, and this could further tarnish their recruitment policy.
Also, Mourinho has an array of attacking options, and may choose to fancy signing a few defenders to balance out his side. His defence has not been in the best of shape this season, and certainly needs to be revamped before the start of next season.
The Manchester outfit have been linked with the likes of Joshua Kimmich and Jose Gimenez – two players that could go a long way in strengthening Jose’s defence. Gimenez is allegedly keen to move to Old Trafford, and could prove to be a pivotal signing for United in the summer.
