BREAKING NEWS: Mancini plans Neymar bid

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 07: Neymar of Brazil and Marcelo #6 celebrate the goal by Leandro Damiao #9 while Alex Sandro looks on during the Men’s Football Semi Final match between Korea and Brazil, on Day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Games at Old Trafford on August 7, 2012 in Manchester, England.

According to reports coming in from the United Kingdom, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will ask the Club’s new Director of Football, Txiki Begiristain, to release to him funds to bring Brazilian sensation Neymar to the Etihad Stadium.

Widely regarded as one of the hottest property to emerge from South America in recent times, the Santos sensation has been catching the attention of clubs from all over the world. Spanish duo Real Madrid and Barcelona appear to be the ones most interested in signing him, while other clubs have been monitoring his progress.

According to British tabloid The Daily Mirror, Mancini has made Neymar his top target for when the transfer window opens on the first of January nest year.

Neymar’s current Club Santos value him at around £50 million, and have had to close down their women’s football and futsal divisions to continue paying Neymar’s wages, report Brazilian newspapers.

Begiristain arrives from Barcelona, where he occupied the same position, and given his knowledge of how the transfer market runs and the vast amount of funding that Club owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nahyan will provide, could succeed in ultimately bringing Neymar to England.

But reliable sources in Spain state that it is Catalan giants Barcelona who lead the chase for the youngster. According to the Camp Nou outfit’s latest accounts, €10 million has been paid to Santos in exchange for rights of first refusal for their coveted starlet, with a total of 40 million earmarked for an ‘unmovable and intangible asset’.

The same source also says that should Barcelona wish to acquire Neymar before his contract expires in December 2014, Barcelona will have to pay the remaining 30 million Euros immediately. In addition, according to this agreement, should Neymar join another club instead of Barcelona, they will receive 20 million Euros as compensation.

Mancini believes the months of dialogue between Santos and Barcelona between 2008 and 2010 while Begiristain was in Spain will put him ahead of those who are circling to swoop for his signature. Although the Manchester City boss had set in his sights Daniele de Rossi of AS Roma and Robin van Persie who was then at Arsenal, he saw Javi Garcia, Scott Sinclair, Jack Rodwell and Matija Nastasic join the City ranks.

De Rossi has since stayed in Rome, while van Persie decided to jump ship to City’s arch-rivals Manchester United.

But whether Sheikh Mansour and Club Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak will release the funds for Mancini to buy the man Pele calls his successor remains a serious doubt. Both Arabs think enough money has been invested in the squad and are said to be concerned over City’s poor performance in the Champions League once again.

Former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola has been touted to be the next boss of the Citizens, and Mancini could be paid £20 million in compensation.

Despite his young age, Neymar has already been capped 25 times for Brazil and has scored 16 goals, the first of which came on his debut against the United States in August 2010.