Neymar in it for the long haul

Brazilian wonderkid Neymar has confirmed that he would like to renew his contract at Barcelona but he has reiterated there is no hurry to do so.

The 23-year-old’s current deal at the Spanish giants does not run out until June 2018, but he is enjoying life and football so much that he believes Barcelona is the only place he sees his future.

That news will come as a bit of a blow to Manchester United as Louis Van Gaal was linked with a move for Neymar in the summer but it appears the Brazilian is going nowhere now.

“Of course I want to renew, but we’ll talk,” Neymar is reported as saying in the Spanish press. “I’m very happy to be at Barcelona. I have three more years and those items my father takes care of.”

“I’m not afraid of assuming more responsibilities. I am very happy here, where I have settled very well,” Neymar said. “My only concern at the moment is to be focused on helping the team and to keep winning trophies at Barca.”

A superb 2014-15 saw Neymar enter a different level in his career, with 43 goals in all competitions marking him out as one of the great players in the game currently. With Lionel Messi’s recent injury, even more is expected of the Brazilian at Barcelona now.

The former Santos attacker helped Barcelona to a sensational treble both domestically and in Europe and such efforts are what is believed to have made Barcelona press on with trying to tie the Brazilian down to an even longer deal.

At 23, Neymar has plenty of great years ahead of him. “I am very happy to be on the list again,” he said. “I hope to do my work, to help my teammates with goals, to keep progressing. Of course I want to be among the top three, that would be good for me.”

However, Neymar added that his illustrious team-mate Lionel Messi was sure to win the award again this year however, and said he was in no hurry to take over from as the world’s best.

“He is the big favourite,” said the forward. “This year the Ballon d’Or is reserved for Messi, the best player in the world is already decided.”

“For all he has done, Leo deserves it. I hope to keep playing alongside Messi, who is the best and an idol for me. And if I learn a lot from the best, maybe some day I can win it.”