Manchester United: Jose Mourinho 'Prepared to Double Neymar's Barcelona Salary'

Brazil international Neymar in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 26.
Brazil international Neymar in Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 26. Neymar has been linked with a world record transfer from Barcelona to Manchester United. Nelson Almeida/AFP/Getty

Manchester United is prepared to pay € 200 million ($217 million) for Barcelona forward Neymar—making him the English Premier League's highest-earning player, according to a report.

Neymar, 25, finished third in the Ballon d'Or voting for the world's best player in 2016, behind teammate Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Brazil international, already fourth on his country's all-time goalscorers list, has long been regarded as the heir apparent to Messi.

But Barcelona-based newspaper Sport claims United, which according to Neymar's father has approached him before, is now "crazy" about signing him and will eclipse the world-record fee of £89.2 million ($112 million) it paid for Paul Pogba to secure his transfer.

According to the report, United is also prepared to double Neymar's Barcelona salary and pay him €25 million per season ($27 million), which would make him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.

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