Manchester United Transfer News: Neymar Odds Slashed, Cristiano Ronaldo Latest

The top talents of La Liga have been linked with moves to Manchester United this week, but while the odds of Neymar's switch have been slashed, Cristiano Ronaldo has dismissed the thought of a Real Madrid exit.

The Telegraph cited reports claiming United will offer Barcelona a staggering sum of £143.9 million for Neymar in January, adding that the Spanish club's financial difficulties might open the possibility of a deal.

Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

Jamie Anderson of the Daily Star reported a flood of bets recently forced Betfair to drop their odds on the move from 16-1 down to 4-1, but the thought of Neymar moving midway through the campaign seems almost impossible.

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta is quoted by the Telegraph divulging some details regarding the club's economic status after spending big on the transfers of Neymar and Luis Suarez in recent years: "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."

Neymar could be argued as the most coveted player in world football right now, considering he's rising near Lionel Messi levels of importance at the Camp Nou and is still just 23 years of age.

However, after scoring 16 goals in 18 appearances for the Blaugrana this season, Neymar won't be leaving the Liga titans for Old Trafford anytime soon, according to the Guardian's Barney Ronay:

It's true the Premier League would represent a steep drop in standards for the Brazilian in their current state, having just sealed their group-stage exit from the UEFA Champions League following Tuesday's defeat to Wolfsburg.

That being said, the Red Devils would have to be considered one of the few outfits realistically capable of making a deal happen, and the same can be said for Los Blancos' leading man Ronaldo.

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

Or at least that was until Real Madrid's 8-0 defeat of Swedish side Malmo on Tuesday, after which Ronaldo professed his comfort at the Bernabeu and insisted he's "very happy," per Spanish daily Marca: "Every year the same thing has happened. I am relaxed and I feel at home at a club which has helped me a great deal, and I am very happy here."

Francisco Seco/Associated Press

The ex-Manchester United attacker also came to the defence of manager Rafa Benitez and stated the Real manager is "doing a good job," contrary to earlier reports this season that the pair don't see eye to eye, per El Confidencial (h/t Goal).

Tuesday's loss at Wolfsburg was but another example of United's ability to create chances without much end product, and summer signing Bastian Schweinsteiger has bemoaned that lack of a world-class forward, per Stuart Mathieson of the Manchester Evening News: "If you miss a chance you have to be unhappy. When you are a striker, a big striker, like a Ronaldo, Messi and Thomas Muller the same it is about attitude. They want to score goals. They have quality but they want to score goals. You need the attitude that you want to score."

Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague claimed in October that Ronaldo could be playing his last season at Real Madrid, but it was French giants Paris Saint-Germain seen as frontrunners for his signature.

Following Tuesday's one-sided win, it appears the Portuguese is back in high spirits with Los Merengues and enjoying his relationship with the management, while Manchester United look on in frustration from the UEFA Europa League.