Corinthians forward Alexandre Pato has claimed Manchester United tried to bring him to Old Trafford on transfer deadline day.
Pato, 26, was heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur in the summer, but no deal materialised.
The 26-year-old Brazilian, who is currently on loan at São Paulo, has now revealed the Red Devils made a last-ditch attempt to bring him to Manchester moments before the close of the transfer window.
“I received an offer from Manchester United two hours before the transfer window closed, but I was only told that afterwards. My focus is now here,” Pato told Brazilian television station SporTV.
The Brazil international added: “I won’t lie, of course I’m thinking [about the future]. I talk about this with my family, people close to me. We talk about what’s going to happen, where will I be next year,” he added. “We are a few months short from the end of the season. But I’m working hard, focused on Sao Paulo. I won’t stop wondering about the future, but I’m focused on Sao Paulo.
“If I could choose, I would like to stay at Sao Paulo at the moment, but it doesn’t depend on me only. I have to do my job on the pitch, there are people out of it, my agent, family, they take good care of these things. I’m a professional, and I have to be focused all the time.”
Pato, formerly of Internacional and AC Milan, has scored 17 goals in 37 combined league appearances in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and the Campeonato Paulista in 2015.
Meanwhile, in other news, FC Barcelona forward Neymar also admitted to having ‘conversations’ with United after a possible deal was reported in August.
Although there were conversations between the two sides, no offer was ever tabled.
When asked about a potential move to United, Neymar told ESPN Brasil: “We had conversations, but there was nothing concrete. “I heard that there were offers, but none made it to me.”
Martial’s agent responds to Wenger’s comments
The agent of Manchester United star Anthony Martial, Philippe Lamboley, has responded to Arsene Wenger’s claims that the France international is better suited on the wing, as opposed to the No. 9 role.
After Martial’s fast start to life at Old Trafford, Wenger thought it was necessary to reveal why exactly the Gunners did not move to sign the player this summer.
His reasoning was that Arsenal already had a number of options in ‘wide’ areas, including the likes of Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain.
“If the analysis of Wenger was to justify not having signed Anthony, then I accept his words and so he’s a winger. But in football there are those who follow players and those that buy them,” he told RMC radio station.
“Anthony is a true modern center forward. I am surprised by the analysis of Wenger, who has apparently followed him since he was an adolescent.”
Martial has scored four goals in four appearances in all competitions for United this term.
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