Manchester United had rejected chance to sign PSG superstar Neymar in swap deal

Manchester United reportedly decided against signing Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Neymar in a swap deal with former midfielder Paul Pogba in 2019.

Neymar, 30, continues to be linked with a departure from the Parc des Princes, as he's irked by comments made by president Nasser Al-Khelaifi. One team linked with the Brazilian is Manchester United, although they could have already acquired the PSG star three years ago.

The Independent reported in 2019 that United's former chief executive Ed Woodward rejected the opportunity of luring Neymar to Old Trafford. PSG reportedly approached United about the possibility of exchanging their Brazilian star with Paul Pogba, but the Red Devils deemed Neymar to be too expensive.

The 30-year-old's wages of around £606,000 a week reportedly put Woodward off, and the former executive was also keen to retain Pogba.

The Frenchman is set to leave United as a free agent for a second time. He's heading towards a return to Serie A side Juventus, per acclaimed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Meanwhile, speculation over Neymar's future continues to grow, with the Ligue 1 champions reportedly considering offloading the 30-year-old. The former Barcelona star joined the Parisians in 2017 in a £200 million deal that made him the world's most expensive player.

He has made 144 appearances since arriving at the Parc des Princes, scoring 100 goals and contributing 60 assists. However, he has largely struggled to replicate his Barcelona heroics.

Manchester United should snub PSG star Neymar this summer

It would take Manchester United astronomical fees to lure Neymar to Old Trafford this summer.

A potential move for the Brazilian seems unlikely given the current state the Premier League club are in. New manager Erik ten Hag is overseeing a rebuild of the side, so a particular profile of players are being targeted. Neymar doesn't fall into that category, given his age, fees and gargantuan wages.

United have been criticised for paying over-the-odds for players recently, so they wouldn't want to tread the same route with Neymar.

The former Barcelona star is a world-class talent, but United cannot afford to bring such an expensive player to their squad. The Sun reports that a £200 million transfer budget is at Ten Hag's disposal, but a large chunk of that would go towards bringing in Neymar, if the Brazilian arrives.

There are reinforcements required in United's defence and midfield, which won't happen if United bring in the PSG star. So they should pass up the opportunity to sign Neymar again.