United are attempting to land the Brazilian before 1 September but there is a long-term strategy to pursue him, with the club believing the transfer may be more likely next summer.
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Neymar has recently been out of action with mumps but is back in training, working to a special plan to boost his fitness, and should be involved this weekend against Malaga.
Despite signing Arda Turan, the sale of Neymar would leave Luis Enrique short of options, particularly with the Turkish star unable to feature until January. “I don’t talk about rumours”, he was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
“I’m fairly confident that at the end of the day Neymar will put pen to paper, but mark my words, until he does we’re going to have some fun”.
United have taken seven points from their first three games in the league and will face Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League qualifier on Wednesday, 26 August.
Neymar’s agent Wagner Ribeiro also dismissed the reports of Neymar’s possible move to Louis Van Gaal’s’ side.
United executive vice-chairman Ed Wooward was in Barcelona last Monday to close a deal for Pedro, who eventually opted to join Chelsea instead.
The Brazilian has been an important part of Barcelona’s engine that has resulted in them winning a treble previous year – with Neymar scoring a total of 32 goals across all competitions.
Neymar did not feature in Barcelona’s opening La Liga win after he contracted mumps and did not feature in the club’s Super Cup ties with Sevilla and Athletic.
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Barca signed Aleix Vidal from Sevilla and Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid earlier this summer but the new arrivals can not play until January when the club’s transfer ban imposed by Federation Internationale de Football Association expires. It later emerged that Woodward was in fact in Barcelona to declare United’s interest in signing the 23-year-old.
