PSG wanted Neymar in €190million deal – agent

Wagner Ribeiro, one of Neymar’s representatives, has claimed Paris Saint-Germain were willing to spend €190million to land the Barcelona forward in the transfer window – a suggestion denied by the French champions.

PSG had also put together a contract which would have seen the Brazil international earn approximately €767,000 (£650,000) a week, according to Ribeiro, but Barca rejected the offer and instead persuaded Neymar to sign a new five-year contract.

Ribeiro told ESPN Brasil: “He was very close to joining PSG. There he would have earned €40m a year, free [after tax]. PSG were ready to pay the buy-out clause of €190m.

“Neymar was also close to a move to Manchester United. But he renewed his contract for less money with Barcelona, because he wanted to stay in Barcelona.”

A PSG source denied Ribeiro’s claim in L’Equipe, however, telling the French daily: “It’s totally false.

“With employer contributions on top, that salary would have cost more than €60m a year. It’s obscene. Neymar used us to strengthen his hand with Barcelona.”

Neymar, 24, joined Barca from Santos in 2013 in a controversial deal and has gone on to win two LaLiga titles, the Copa del Rey twice and the Champions League in 2015.

He is also a part of the feared MSN trident alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.

His new contract in Catalonia, which runs through to 2021, has a €200m buyout clause after the first year, rising to €222m the following year and €250m by 2019.