Barcelona Tried To Sign A Manchester United Target To Replace Neymar

£198 million...Neymar...PSG...Barcelona...Coutinho...I have written those words so many times in the last three months but here we go again. Apparently there was one more possible replacement for the Brazilian.

So we all know the story by now that in the summer PSG decided to take the piss out of everyone by spending £198 million on Neymar and then following that up with the loan of Kylian Mbappe.

At the time it looked like the Neymar move could spark off a huge summer of transfers with Coutinho moving to Barcelona, Real signing Mbappe, Bale going to United, Sanchez going to City etc!

Coutinho

_{In an alternate universe Coutinho is still sat contemplating his failed move to the Camp Nou. Image: PA}

Pretty much none of that happened and instead Ernesto Valverde's side had to go out and spend all their money on Ousmane Dembele to replace their former forward.

No matter how hard they tried they just couldn't get their hands on Coutinho as Liverpool decided to keep their own Brazilian at Anfield.

But according to El Transistor, via Mundo Deportivo, Barça president Josep Maria Bartomeu offered €140 million to Atletico Madrid for Antoine Griezmann, a move Lionel Messi was specifically happy with.

_{Griezmann no doubt would have been a great signing for Barca. Image: PA}

Griezmann's transfer release clause had been increased to €200 million in the summer so Atleti didn't have to accept the offer and didn't want to sell the Frenchman.

For a long time it looked like the 26 year old was going to be moving to Manchester United to join up with his good friend Paul Pogba.

However once the club's transfer ban didn't get lifted Griezmann decided that he wanted to stay and not abandon the club when they couldn't replace him.

_{Griezmann and Pogba would have been quite the duo at Old Trafford. Image: PA}

The capital club decided to reject the bid because they knew they couldn't replace their best player because of the transfer ban and also wanted Griezmann to play in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

Messi wanted the player and also wanted the Catalan side to sign Saul Niguez, who they offered €80 million for.

Will Barcelona go back in for the duo?

Topics: Griezmann, Manchester United, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Neymar

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a writer for SPORTbible. He covers all sport from football, formula one, cricket, rugby, tennis, athletics, mma and wrestling. He obviously hates YOUR football team and has no interest in synchronised swimming.

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