Santos and United deny Neymar bid

Santos have rejected claims that Manchester United launched an audacious £38 million deadline day bid for Brazil international forward Neymar, a statement the English club themselves have confirmed.

GettyImagesNeymar: Never on his way to England

United did bolster their squad on the final day of the summer transfer window last Friday, after bringing in a number of players earlier in the summer. However, reports on Wednesday claimed that was not for the want of trying.

The Sun reported that Sir Alex Ferguson made a huge late bid for Neymar, 20, in an attempt to lure him to England. Yet sources inside United rubbished the claims, while the striker's club have also dismissed the report.

"I have no idea where that [story] came from, but it's not true," Santos' football director Felipe Faro told Globo Esporte.

Neymar's future has long been the subject of widespread speculation, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid prematurely reported to have agreed a transfer deal at different points over the last few seasons.

Neymar's father, Neymar Santos, showed a certain weariness with all the speculation, noting about the latest rumours: "Neymar was sold two years ago but we are still here. He is ready to play football. We talked a lot and the fields are the same worldwide. Of course 

he needs to develop. We made the choice that he will mature in Brazil.

"He will inevitably go to Europe someday, but for now he is happy in Brazil."