Manchester United Transfer News: Neymar Tipped to Join Within 2 Years

Manchester United’s chances of landing Barcelona starlet Neymar before Tuesday’s transfer deadline look very slim, but the Brazil skipper has been tipped to join a Premier League side in the next couple of years.  

Tim Vickery, BBC Sport’s South American football expert, thinks the Red Devils may have made their intentions to sign Neymar clear with a long-term plan in mind, per Chisanga Malata of the Daily Star:

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At the moment Neymar is very happy where he is but he’s in the shadow of Lionel Messi. That’s fine for now but if it’s still the case in one or two years’ time, he might want to go somewhere where he’s going to be the big number one.

England is obviously a potential in a year or two years’ time. That’s the game I think United are playing - establishing an interest, making it clear that they really want this player and are prepared to play big money.

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Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

As noted in Malata’s piece, United have been linked with a money-spinning £137.8 million move for the youngster, and chief executive Ed Woodward has already held preliminary talks with the Catalan giants about a possible move for the player.

Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe took a closer look at whether or not the Red Devils have a realistic chance of signing Neymar:

Any United supporter hopeful of securing a deal this summer is being fanciful. Neymar is a critical component in this Barcelona team and stepped up his game to remarkable heights last season, cementing his status as a world-class player. With the Catalonians unable to draft in any replacements until January, it’s impossible to make a case for Barcelona selling now.

Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images

Although Neymar still falls short of Lionel Messi in the talisman stakes at the Camp Nou, as was evident by his displays in the latter stages of the Champions League last season, he’s a man who shines on the biggest stage, per Selecao Brasileira:

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Neymar scored in both legs of quarter final and semi final of the champions league as well as in the final. Rare achievement for any player.

— Seleção Brasileira (@BrazilStats) June 6, 2015"

Two years down the line, there could be a completely different picture at Barcelona. It’s not unfeasible to suggest that Neymar may be fed up with Messi being the main man. In addition, he’s already won plenty at Barcelona as it is, so perhaps the Brazil sensation may fancy a new challenge.

VI-Images/Getty Images

But according to football journalist Rafael Hernandez, Barcelona have grand plans for Neymar, ones that could see him achieve his own deistic status:

From United’s perspective, putting out early feelers is no bad thing. After all, they are one of the most prestigious footballing institutions in the game, and therefore, it’s no surprise to see the Red Devils courting the planet’s very best players.

Things would have to go wrong quickly for Neymar to become available for transfer, though. According to Pete Jenson of the MailOnline, the winger is set to pen a bumper new deal that’d include a release clause of £182 million, and while the Red Devils may have the financial muscle to pull a deal off, whether they have the gravitas to lure him away from the Camp Nou is a lot more questionable.