Breaking news – club placing a record-breaking bid for Barcelona star, player wants to leave Spain

In the hottest piece of transfer gossip today, Manchester United are readying a record-breaking bid for Barcelona star Neymar. Spanish outlet Fichajes claims that the Red Devils will launch a massive £143.9 million for the Brazil international in the January transfer window. According to the report, United manager Louis Van Gaal will be given a war chest of £200m by the club in the January transfer window, and he wants to spend a major portion of it on the 23-year-old.

Neymar, who is among the final three candidates for the Ballon d’Or award, is reportedly happy at Nou Camp, but the Catalan club might be forced to sell their star to balance their books. Barcelona’s financial troubles, as stated by former Barcelona president Joan Laporta claimed last month, along with Neymar’s struggles with tax problems might play huge roles in deciding the outcome of this transfer. Earlier this season, Neymar’s father confirmed that United tried to sign his son during the summer transfer window.

“The offer reached Barcelona, and the club contacted us saying they were not going to sell,” he told Boa Tarde Fox. “They asked if we were interested, but that wasn’t the case. Barcelona are not selling, he has three years still to go on his contract. It was Manchester’s deal, but that offer is not on the table now, it has fallen through.”

Neymar Sr. has also stated that his son might leave Nou Camp if Spanish authorities continue to harass him over tax problems. “We’re talking about a contract renewal, but there are some outstanding things that have us a bit concerned,” he told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser. “We need to know if Spain accepts our situation. It’s hard for us because we are being attacked from Brazil and from Spain about fiscal issues. We’re talking to everyone in order to know what we have to do with all this because we don’t want to be in Spain for two, three, four, five or ten years and then they sting us by surprise, telling us our tax structure isn’t right. I don’t want to talk about persecution but if we don’t have a comfortable situation to work in then we can’t stay in Spain and we will have to leave.”