Santos demand £41m for Neymar

GettyImagesNeymar has attracted attention from Europe's elite.

Chelsea have been told that they will have to dig deep to the tune of £41 million if they are to prise Brazilian sensation Neymar away from Santos.

Neymar
GettyImagesNeymar has attracted attention from Europe's elite.

• Robinho warns Neymar over move
• Neymar hoping for Chelsea move

Neymar is one of the hottest properties in world football and has admirers all over Europe. Chelsea have long been in the frame and owner Roman Abramovich gave the green light to the deal last year, only to see the offer rebuffed.

Neymar's stock has continued to rise and that previous gambit from Stamford Bridge falls below Santos' valuation.

"Last year Santos received an offer of £32 million from Chelsea and it was rejected," the player's agent Wagner Ribeiro told The Sun. "Now he would not leave for less than £41 million."

Ribeiro is doing a decent job of talking up his client, likening him to world superstar Lionel Messi.

"Neymar is like Messi," he said. "Soon he will be the best in the world as he is a player like no other. "He is just 19 but all the big clubs are following him."