Real Madrid tried to sign Neymar three times including 2019 – claims player’s former agent

Star forward Neymar has been synonymous with Barcelona news in recent years but it has now been revealed Real Madrid tried to sign him three times.

The player’s former agent Wagner Ribiero has told an interview with L’Equipe that Madrid tried to sign the Brazilian on three separate occasions including in 2019, when they tried to lure him from Paris Saint-Germain.

Ribiero also outlined how the club tried to sign him when he was aged just 13 – but were thwarted by the financial package offered by Santos at the time – while they also tried to sign him ahead of Barcelona in 2013.

It was revealed how Madrid sent three officials – including lawyers – to Brazil in 2013 to attempt to persuade Neymar to join Los Blancos rather than the Catalan giants, but despite spending 20 days in the nation they were unsuccessful.

The Brazilian superstar has netted 83 goals in 106 appearances for the French champions but he has been curtailed by multiple injury setbacks since leaving the Camp Nou in 2017.

Indeed, the forward missed both legs of the recent Champions League tie against the Blaugrana due to his fitness issues.