Manchester United Transfer News: Joan Laporta Talks Neymar, Lionel Messi Rumours

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta believes Manchester United may have a chance of signing Camp Nou star Neymar in the future but insisted the Red Devils' reported pursuit of Lionel Messi will come to nothing.

United have recently been linked with Messi as reports have emerged that the Argentinian may be open to a move away from Barca, per Sky Sports' Guillem Balague. The Manchester outfit have also been regularly linked with Neymar since the summer, per Spanish outlet Don Balon (h/t Will Giles of Metro).

Speaking to RMC Sport, Laporta claimed a Messi move is out of the question, he offered encouragement to United over a potential Neymar purchase, pointing to Barca's need to raise funds quickly (via Dan Gibbs in the Express):

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Messi will never leave Barca. It is part of our emblem and our heart. I received many proposals when I was president. Notably Inter, who wanted to pay his release clause but I always refused. 

For Neymar, it's different. The economic situation of the club is not good, but the current president, to balance the books must sell players or assets. And the best solution is to sell a great player. There is talk of a proposal for Man United. But all that, it is because of the mismanagement of the current leadership.

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Recent reports suggested Neymar's contract negotiations are being delayed because the club needs to boost its finances before it can meet the Brazilian's demands, per Goal's Ignasi Oliva.

The 23-year-old has continued to prove his immense value to Barca this season, performing impressively while Messi has been out injured, per Barca Art (via barcastuff):

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Design: Stats Neymar for Barcelona since Messi's injury #fcblive [by @barcaart_] pic.twitter.com/NsXORqcnI8

— barcastuff (@barcastuff) October 27, 2015"

Neymar undoubtedly deserves a bumper new deal at Camp Nou—his current contract expires in 2018—and the Catalans are reportedly looking to make him the third-highest-paid player in the world behind Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, per James Benge in the Evening Standard.

However, if the club's financial situation forces them to stall on the forward's new deal, he could perhaps be tempted away from Catalonia.

It would require an astronomical outlay from United to secure Neymar's services. But they have shown in recent transfer windows they are not afraid to splash the cash—see the purchases of Angel Di Maria and Anthony Martial.

ESPN FC reported United were prepared to spend £240 million—made up of a fee and a long-term contract—in the summer to snap up Neymar.

While they failed in that attempt, they would surely be willing to go in again if they had the chance to sign the Brazilian.

The Red Devils are lacking a true superstar at the moment. While 19-year-old Martial looks like a prospective world-beater, Wayne Rooney—United's main attacking threat for so long—looks in potentially terminal decline, per ESPN's Alex Shaw:

United's top teams in the Sir Alex Ferguson glory days always had at least one genuine superstar—the likes of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, Rooney in his pomp and Ronaldo.

Neymar could be the addition the Red Devils need to return to the upper echelons of European football. While he would cost a huge amount to bring in, he likely has more than a decade left in his career, and he may just be worth a world-record fee.