Money talks! Chelsea tempt Neymar with £55k a week as Brazil starlet shuns Santos off
Chelsea are offering 18-year-old Brazil forward Neymar a five-year contract worth a whopping £55,000 a week, Santos have been warned.
The Brazilian club held talks on Tuesday with the players father, agent and investors who own a 40 per cent chunk of his economic rights.
However, after nine hours with just a short break for lunch, Santos failed to tie their star player to a new deal that would see his current salary triple to £40,000 a week. There would also be incentives based on performances and international call-ups.
As well as the extraordinary wage for a teenager, Chelsea are prepared to pay a £25million transfer fee - but Santos say they won't sell for less than his near-£30m release clause.
The offer came after Pele, fellow great Mario Zagallo and current Brazil boss Mano Menezes all put pressure on Neymar to shun a move to England at this stage in his career.
The forward, who operates centrally or on the left wing, is torn because he enjoys playing for the club he loves and fears he will may not get many first-team opportunities at Stamford Bridge.
However, he is reluctant to reject one of the biggest clubs in the world and people close to him are advising that a move is in his best interests.
His delegation told Santos they would need until the end of the week to make a decision on the improved contract and insisted Chelsea had made a better offer.
Neymar penned a deal to the end of 2014 only in February, when his salary leaped from £2,000 a week to his current level of £13,000.