Manchester United: Neymar's father confirms club bid for star in the summer

Neymar's father and agent has confirmed Manchester United made an offer to secure the services of the Barcelona star during the summer transfer window. The father of the Brazil international says the Champions League winners immediately rejected the proposal as neither club nor player were tempted by the Old Trafford move.

Globo Esporte reported in the final days of the summer transfer window that Louis van Gaal was launching a €190m (£140m) bid to make the 23-year-old star his marquee signing. The Dutch boss was looking for someone to replace Angel Di Maria and the striker was said to be among the candidates, alongside other big names such as former Tottenham hero Gareth Bale or Bayern Munich's Thomas Muller.

United, instead, signed Anthony Martial from Monaco on deadline day, but speculation about Neymar has refused to die, with the player in negotiations to sign a new deal at the Camp Nou. The Barcelona star confirmed last month that he had briefly had talks during the summer with the Premier League giants regarding a move to Old Trafford.

"We had conversations, but there was nothing concrete, I heard that there were offers, but none made to me," Neymar said in an interview with ESPN Brazil. And his father has now spoken out about the United approach and why the club and player turned it down.

"Barcelona received a proposal, and the club told us they were not going to sell him," Neymar's father said to Brazilian station Boa Tarde Fox. "They asked if we were interested, but [we weren't]. Barcelona did not sell because he has three years left on his contract."

Earlier this month Barcelona football director, Robert Fernandez, revealed the club are looking to offer Neymar a lucrative new deal to keep him at the at the Camp Nou for "the rest of his life".