The day West Ham had £12m bid for Brazilian ‘wonderkid’ Neymar turned down by Santos… before he became the most expensive player ever with PSG signing

JULY 2010 was the month Spain beat Holland in the World Cup final, Chelsea star Marcos Alonso moved from Real Madrid to Bolton... and West Ham had a £12million bid for Neymar rejected.

Yes, the Barcelona icon on the brink of a world-record £196m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain could have ended up in East London.

Young Neymar, then 18, was playing for Brazilian side Santos at the time.

Chelsea had already been tracking the precocious talent for two years.

But it was Avram Grant who made the first formal offer, with a transfer at the time being seen as a stepping stone to Chelsea - who had promised to make Neymar the football equivalent of Michael Jordan.

Just as interesting, though, is the fact Manchester City had first refusal on Neymar.

Santos rejected West Ham's £12m bid, insisting their young star would not go for less than his £28.4m release clause.

Club director Pedro Luiz Nunes said at the time: "We received an offer from West Ham for Neymar, worth €15m (then about £12m).

"Our position is clear, we do not open negotiations. These athletes only leave the club by paying the release clause."

West Ham were due to go back in with a £16m offer - though clearly it came to nothing.

At the time Neymar was uncapped for the senior international side and unable to automatically receive a work permit.

He was described as an "Under-17 international and one of the most talented teenagers in the world".

A year on from July 2010 it was Chelsea and Man City looking to sign Neymar - but for £40m.

Santos president Luis Ribeiro said: "We don’t want to sell the player but there is a release clause in his contract that can be paid.

"Five European clubs have offered to match the clause."

Now, some six years further down the line, PSG will pay a total of £352m to bring him to the French capital in a deal that ushers football into a new era of spending.