Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar was reportedly in contact with Real Madrid until the transfer window shut.
The Brazilian was agitating for a move away from France and back to Spain, with former club Barcelona his preferred destination.
However, a move to the Blaugrana's arch-rivals had been a possibility and the PSG winger remained in contact with Los Blancos until the end of the window, according to Marca.
Neymar's injury problems, particularly a recurring issue in his right foot that had seen him miss large portions of his two seasons in Paris, made Madrid hesitant about a transfer and the club took a back seat in negotiations.
Neymar's father pushed hard for a move to the Santiago Bernabeu after seeing the Barca deal collapse, but could not force through a move and his son now faces another season with PSG.
