Jose Mourinho discusses Neymar transfer after pre-match tunnel embrace with Barcelona star

Jose Mourinho has played down the suggestion there was anything meaningful to his pre-match embrace with Neymar as Manchester United succumbed to defeat in the last leg of their pre-season tour against Barcelona.

The Brazilian is centre of another summer transfer saga, with reports in France claiming he is on the verge of joining PSG after agreeing a lucrative five-year contract.

Prior to Wednesday night’s match in Maryland, a game in which Neymar scored the solitary and decisive goal, the 25-year-old hugged and chatted to both Mourinho and Paul Pogba.

But Mourinho urged fans not to read anything into the gesture, saying he is unaware of the Brazilian’s situation and distancing himself from a move for a marquee name this summer.

‘I don’t know where Neymar will play next season,’ said Mourinho in his post-match press conference.

‘As a coach of a rival team, I can only say it’s a pleasure to watch him play.’

He added: ‘With Messi and Neymar, there is only one [of each]. There are not two. Suarez, Iniesta, Pique, Ronaldo, Bale, Modric, Toni Kroos, there is only one of them.

‘So they can only play for one club and not two. We cannot have them. They belong to the clubs.’

Opposite number Ernesto Valverde was similarly dismissive of the tunnel meeting between Neymar and United’s stars, insisting that he was simply greeting old friends and remains a Barca player.

‘The news on Neymar is that he is very happy talking to his Manchester friends,’ said the former Athletic boss.

‘There is no further news, except that he is still with us, which us very good. We are very happy with the result against Manchester United.’

United’s defeat means they can no longer claim the International Champions Cup trophy, though Barca could win the tournament on Sunday when they take on Clasico rivals Real Madrid.