Joan Laporta claims Barcelona attempted to sign Neymar this summer.

"We tried to sign Neymar," Laporta told TV3 on Monday, confirming reports that had appeared in Spain earlier in the day.

"At that moment [after being elected in March], it seemed like an interesting signing. He got in contact. He was crazy about coming.

"We interpreted fair play in another way at the time. If we had known all the rules [in LaLiga], we would not have made that offer."

Barcelona instead eventually had to sell Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain.