Neymar confirms Chelsea made a 'huge' transfer bid for him in 2010
World Cup and Brazil golden boy Neymar has revealed that Pele persuaded him to stay at Santos and reject the opportunity to sign for Chelsea in 2010, report Goal.
The 22-year-old joined Barcelona last summer, ending years of speculation surrounding his future after he had received a number of offers to join a European club throughout his short career.
While the Catalan giants are the beneficiaries of his talent courtesy of a £49 million transfer, Neymar has admitted that he could have joined the Blues, only for Brazilian legend Pele to step in and advise him to continue his development in the country of his birth.
“It was August 23, 2010. My father and I had a meeting with president Luis Álvaro at the Santos headquarters, inside the Vila Belmiro.
“Chelsea had made a huge transfer bid. In the middle of our conversation, the president turned off the lights and pointed at an empty chair.
“‘This is the chair of the great national sports hero. Since Ayrton Senna’s death, this chair is vacant. If Neymar Jnr stays in Santos and refuses Chelsea’s proposal, he will give his first step to sit in this chair.”
“That made us think. That decision would be a turning point in my life. Even Pele called me. Can you imagine how important I felt? The King of Football called and asked me to stay.
“He reminded me of his entire career with Santos, his five world titles with the national team and the club, and all the recognition he received. It wasn’t easy but it was the right decision for us. We did the right thing for our family, friends and my career,” Neymar declared.
The decision to stay put with the Brazilian side gave Neymar the chance to develop his game away from the media scrutiny that is commonplace in the European game and also display his talents to the Brazilian public, who are so often deprived of the sight of their best players, the majority of which ply their trade away from South America during their peak years.
Meanwhile, Neymar has been a stand out performer for his national side this summer and is set to play a leading role in their round of 16 tie against Chile this evening as La Selecao plot their route to a sixth world title.