Man Utd may need to break Cristiano Ronaldo 'rule' to sign Neymar as Erik ten Hag refuses to rule out transfer

Manchester United would need to break their ‘Cristiano Ronaldo rule’ to sign Neymar, it has been claimed.

Erik ten Hag has refused to dismiss speculation linking United with a move for Brazilian sensation Neymar.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger has reportedly been made available this summer, and United are said to be one of several clubs contacted by his representatives over a possible transfer.

And Ten Hag was coy when asked about the rumours circulating in France ahead of United's penultimate Premier League game against Chelsea on Thursday evening.

“When we have news we will tell you,”' smiled the Dutchman, who gave a similar answer to all transfer questions.

Neymar cost PSG a world record £200million when he moved to the French club from Barcelona in 2017. However, a number of big names including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe face uncertain futures in the French capital as the club’s Qatari owners look to rebuild.

Man Utd’s Ronaldo rule

According to Planet Football, Neymar is on a weekly wage of some £957,000, which is slightly less than his teammates Mbappe and Messi.

Given it is unlikely Neymar would make an enormous adjustment to his wage, should the Brazil record scorer sign for United the club would be breaking a reported policy concerning player contracts.

The ‘Ronaldo Rule’ is a term used to describe a transfer policy reportedly enacted at United in early 2023, to ensure no player was paid significantly more than their teammates. The Mail claimed the players’ salaries would be capped at £200,000 a week, which equated to around £10.4 million a year.

Players on deals worth over that figure, such as David De Gea, would be offered fresh terms to bring them down to the cap level.

Indeed, the policy has been dubbed the ‘Ronaldo rule’ given Cristiano Ronaldo was on £385,000 a week during his ill-fated second spell at the club.

The rule was implemented to help limit overspending on playing talent, though its potential benefits could also extend to a better mood in the dressing room.