I like this lad Jack Lang....
Why would Neymar want to join Manchester UnitedIt would take a huge leap of faith to imagine the Brazilian being keen on a transfer to Old Trafford, writes Jack Lang
If you've been keeping even half an eye on the all-consuming behemoth that is the summer transfer window, you'll know that there's a hot new rumour doing the rounds.
It involves Manchester United and Neymar, whose international agent, Pini Zahavi, was spotted at Old Trafford at the weekend. It supposedly involves a bid of €190million, the value of the striker's buyout clause at Barcelona.
Mainly, though, it involves the kind of suspension of belief that would put the world's most ardent Scientologists to shame.
Not because it is hard to imagine United harbouring ambitions of signing Neymar – heaven knows Ed Woodward is a dreamer – but because it is difficult to see why on earth Neymar would harbour ambitions of playing for Manchester United.
Let's compare and contrast
The Brazilian plays for a team who secured a historic treble last season and must be considered the best side in the world. Manchester United are not even the best team in their city.
He lines up alongside Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi, for whom his admiration has been obvious dating back to his time at Santos. At Manchester United, he would play alongside Wayne Rooney, a man who forgot how to play football three years ago and whose potential educational value – aside from as a cautionary tale about the perils of burnout – is probably minimal.
Then there are the coaches: would this most enigmatic, instinctive of players willingly trade the freedom afforded to him by Luis Enrique for a taste of Louis van Gaal's pass-pass-turn-around-pass-rinse-repeat human jigsaw puzzle?
It is not as if Neymar's progress has been anything less than stellar at Barcelona, either. Since arriving in Catalonia, he has made a mockery of those who had him down as a flighty YouTube trickster. His goal record last season – 39 in 51 games – speaks of a player growing in stature, while all evidence points to his being settled in Spain. His former girlfriend and his son, Davi Lucca, are considering moving to Barcelona to be closer to him.
Why would he possibly forego all of that?
Really, there are only two possible reasons he would even consider it. The first is money: Neymar's dad/agent/puppet master has already proven himself to be a wheeler-dealer of the most depressing sort and it would be little surprise if he pressed for a move it was financially beneficial.
But then... come on. According to Forbes, Neymar earns over $30million a year between wages and sponsorship deals, a figure that will only rise as his career goes on. Surely even Neymar Sr's nefarious influence could not convince the forward to sacrifice so much for an extra few million pounds over the length of a contract.
The second thing is prestige: the certainty that he would be the main attraction rather than a member of the supporting cast. Perhaps he fancies stepping out of Messi's shadow.
Ah yes, the hardship of playing – and thriving – alongside the best player of all time. How hard it must be to get up in the morning, knowing you're destined to score only hundreds of goals and make hundreds of assists for a team that is more or less guaranteed to remain among Europe's top few clubs over the next decade.
Neymar has never indicated that he is unhappy with his situation at Barça. On the contrary, he has repeatedly stressed his admiration for Messi and his other team-mates. "I learn so much from him every day," he said in May. The Brazilian, for all the glitz and glamour, appears to have his head screwed on tightly. He knows it's better to play bass for the Beatles than be the lead singer of Nickelback.
The crux of the matter is this: if Neymar does want to leave Barcelona for Manchester United, he is either greedy beyond belief or an egotist of the highest order. Unfortunately for hopeful Red Devils supporters, there has been little evidence that he is either of those things.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/ ... er-6314957
Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 6:36 pm