Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says the world-record €222-million fee Paris Saint-Germain are poised to pay to sign Neymar is “not expensive”.

Neymar is on the brink of an incredible departure from Barcelona, in a transfer that will shatter the previous record set by United last year when they brought Paul Pogba back to Old Trafford by paying Juventus €105m (£89.3m).

The 25-year-old Brazilian’s imminent move has to led to questions as to how PSG can afford such a significant fee, without breaching Uefa’s financial fair play regulations.

But Mourinho has no issue with the amount the Ligue 1 club are spending on Neymar.

“When we signed Paul Pogba, I said he was not expensive,” Mourinho said after United’s 2-1 friendly win over Sampdoria on Wednesday.

“Expensive are the ones that get to a certain level without a certain quality.

“I don’t think £200m for Neymar is expensive.

“Expensive is the fact there will now be more players at £100m, more players at £50m, more players at £60m – that’s the problem.

“Neymar is one of the best players in the world, so commercially that is very strong, but the problem is not Neymar – the problem is the consequences,” he said.