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Following the collapse of potential deals with Manchester United and Barcelona, Neymar has chosen to sign for Saudi outfit Al Hilal, leaving the entire football world in shock.
At 31, the Brazilian is a few years away from entering the twilight of his career. However, this did not stop him from choosing the Middle East's riches over staying in Europe. The deal is set to be worth a whopping €100m, with Neymar set to earn up to $400m in the coming two years, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.
Manchester United have always been interested in the Brazilian's signature. Things picked up pace when manager Erik ten Hag failed to comprehensively squash rumours linking his club with Neymar.
When asked about the potential signing of the Brazilian a few months back, Ten Hag had this to say (source: Manchester Evening News):
"When we have news, we will tell you."
While the phrase may look cryptic on the surface, it is a standard reply that managers give to deny knowledge of any transfer whatsoever. However, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is in contention to buy Manchester United. So, the Qatari-PSG connection once again sparked rumours about Neymar's potential move to Old Trafford.
Despite being fans of the 31-year-old maestro, the Red Devils are currently going through a rebuild under Ten Hag. As confirmed by the Dutch manager's treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo, the club is now aiming to recruit young blood that can take the team forward.
They have welcomed aged stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Odion Ighalo, and Edinson Cavani in the past. Now, Manchester United insist that they will no longer compete for the signatures of players in the twilight of their career, irrespective of their legacy. This new-age ideology explains the reason behind United's rejection of the Saudi-bound superstar.
Manchester United tried to sign Neymar in 2015
While the Red Devils have never been front runners for the Brazilian's signature, they did come relatively close in 2015. Barcelona had recently completed the European treble, with Neymar playing a pivotal role in the Blaugrana's historic run.
Run by the infamous Ed Woodward, Manchester United ambitiously decided to poach the former Santos star out of Camp Nou. The then-vice-chairman of the club even took a trip to Barcelona to facilitate the possibility of a transfer.
As reported by renowned publications such as The Sun and The Telegraph, the Red Devils also planned to launch a mega bid of £240m for the Brazillian prodigy. Nevertheless, nothing materialized and United ended up buying Anthony Martial on deadline day that summer.
