Neymar
Reuters

Brazilian wonderkid Neymar has said he would listen to any transfer bid from Chelsea. The reigning European champions have been linked with a move for the 20-year-old South American international, consistently touted as one of the best young footballers in the world.

"It is very simple - if Barcelona are interested you listen, if Real Madrid are interested you listen, if Chelsea are interested you listen. There are maybe five clubs in the world that you know you must at least listen to," the Santos striker was quoted as saying by The Sun.

Neymar's comments come after reports indicated his national team-mate Oscar, who transferred to the Blues this summer for £25m, has been in contact with him over a move to Stamford Bridge.

"Oscar messages me to tell me what a great club Chelsea is and what a great city London is," he explained, adding, "He and Dani [Dani Alves, Barcelona's Brazilian right back] are both very good salesmen for their club. When the time is right I will listen to the right offers that my agent has for me."

The forward has also been linked with moves to both Spanish giants Barcelona and Madrid, with reports, at one time or another, suggesting pre-contract deals were already in place. TalkSport indicated the Catalans had agreed a deal whereby Neymar's current club, Santos of Brazil, would pay a £32m penalty if the player moved elsewhere... meaning a move to Barcelona was the only financially viable option. Even before that, ESPN reported the youngster would join Barcelona's arch rivals Madrid, in a £53m deal that, if true, would have been revealed after the London Olympics 2012.

More recently, Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro ruled out any move for the youngster until at least 2014, when the player's contract expires.

"It is impossible for Neymar to leave Santos before 2014," Ribeiro was quoted as saying, adding, "When I sign a contract I fulfil it, and the player wants to do the same. Neymar is happy here, and we will not give up persuading him to stay. Neymar will be in charge of his own future in 2014."

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