Manchester United get linked to about a thousand players in every transfer window and they’re not always concretely interested in everyone, but “Neymar regen” seems to have truly slipped out of their grasp.
Last summer’s transfer window at Manchester United was a big step forward as it was the first window where Ineos took control of proceedings.
Utd arguably have a 100% hit rate on summer signings so the window wasn’t a failure by any means, but one “what if” will haunt them.
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They tried and failed to sign ‘Neymar regen” who’s become a bonafide footballing superstar in less than a year since then.
Man Utd’s interest in “Neymar regen”
Regardless of Neymar’s career ending in a whimper, at his peak, the Brazilian was the quintessential wonderkid who was impossible to deal with.
That is the kind of player United were bracing to sign, with concrete links in the summer window last season before a bigger fish pounced.
Man Utd’s interest in Desire Doue dates back a long time when Doue’s asking price was just £35 million, a figure that is laughable now.
Doue could have been United’s Bruno Fernandes replacement in the long-term so convinced were observers about his ability.
Now, Doue is tearing apart the Champions League with PSG after United missed out on him, and Rio Ferdinand’s nugget of him being a “Neymar regen” will hurt United.
He said: “We had him on our podcast, Djed Spence and I asked if there were any young players around you’re impressed by, and in a heartbeat, he said Doue.
He said, ‘I played with a little bit at Rennes and this kid is a regen of Neymar.’ I was like, I had heard he was good but is he that good? Now he’s shown that that’s not a wild statement.
“It’s a great way to announce yourself.”
Desire Doue wouldn’t have been as successful at Man Utd
It is an ironic turn of events, to say the least but, when United were in for Doue, he arguably chose the more stable club by going to PSG.
Luis Enrique had the perfect plan of how to use him while the manager at Old Trafford has already changed, along with members of the executive team!
If the scrutiny and criticism that goes the way of Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho is any indication, Doue would have been chewed up and spat out in England had he chosen United.
At the same time, Ayden Heaven is an example but Doue’s case was entirely different since he would’ve been new to English football.
Doue is undoubtedly a generational talent but it is perhaps best for his career that he chose PSG last summer. This season is only proving the same.
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