Will Neymar move to Barca this summer?

By Chris Linnell

21-year-old Santos striker, Neymar, is fast becoming one of the hottest prospects in World football.

The youngster is generating a lot of buzz as he prepares to transfer from his current club to a premier organization in Europe, with Barcelona the leading contenders to secure his signature.

He has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou and is set to fly to Spain for talks with Barca in July after the Confederations Cup.

Neymar’s skills in terms of handling the ball, his passing and his shooting ability make him one of the most exciting youngsters currently in the game.

A player of his potential could be lethal, and fortify an already explosive Barcelona attack that is in need of a second top scorer now that David Villa is likely on his way out.

However Barca aren’t the only club competing for the Brazilian. The likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, are reported to be monitoring the 21-year-old’s situation at the Sao Paulo outfit but Rodrigues says the player is intent on a move to Catalunya. It seems increased activity on behalf of Madrid has forced Barca into developing negotiations.

Midfielder Xavi is enthused by Barcelona’s reported interest in Neymar, claiming that the Santos starlet is a unique talent that would fit in at any club in the world.

I however, have my reservations. Although he shines in the Brazilian first division, Neymar is yet to prove himself against Europe’s elite. When Brazil faced England in a friendly not long ago, he was easily muscled out of the game, making him seem fairly ineffective.

Despite this, Neymar is still at a very young age and a move to Barcelona will allow him to develop under the watchful eye of some of the world’s best coaches.

It is clear that Barca needs another consistently reliable scorer to fill in when Lionel Messi isn’t present and that is precisely what Neymar would provide right away. In spite of his age and the increased scrutiny of such a big stage he could be a fantastic prospect at the club.