Friday 11 November 2016 06:17, UK
Real Madrid were interested in Barcelona forward Neymar before he signed a new deal last month, the star's father has claimed.
Rumours in the Spanish media suggested Barca's El Clasico rivals had been keen to pry him away, but the Brazil international eventually signed a new five-year contract to keep him at the Nou Camp until 2021.
The fresh terms also come with a huge buy-out clause, set at £181m for the first year, £200m for the second and £226m for the remaining three years, with Neymar Sr. adding it would likely require a much higher price to sign his son.
"Madrid were interested through intermediaries," Neymar Sr. said in an interview with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
"I always said the same thing to everyone: if Neymar leaves Barca, you have to pay the €190m [£181m] release clause, plus the taxes on that money. And with everything else, it would end up being €430m [£374m].
"I had a lot of people in my office in Brazil: sponsors, people keen to support the Neymar Institute ... and of course, some people come to know if Neymar has a future at another club.
"But I'm very clear on this: To get him away from Barcelona, you have to try to take away the happiness that he has here. If he wanted to chase financial benefits, everyone knows he would not be at Barca. But Neymar is happy where he is and has made some strong friendships."
Neymar Sr insists his son's head was never turned by Los Blancos, with reports that Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain were also looking to secure his services at the time.
"Neymar never had any doubts about staying," he added. "The only doubts there could have been were on my part, as a businessman and his representative, but I didn't have any doubts, either, because I know him and I know he's really happy here.
"As much as I want to be a successful businessman and make money, what interests me more is my son's happiness."
