Santos Neymar the Brazilian new hope

Santos vice president Odilio Rodrigues has confirmed that Neymar has told the club he wants to join Barcelona. The Brazil international has long been linked with a move to Camp Nou and is set to fly to Spain for talks with the Blaugrana in July after the Confederations Cup. Other clubs, including the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are reported to be monitoring the 21-year-old's situation at the Sao Paulo outfit but Rodrigues says the player is intent on a move to Catalunya. "Neymar has told us that he wants to sign for Barca," Rodrigues told SER Esports. "There are other proposals but he has a preference for Barca. There is no official Madrid proposal for Neymar, but we know that this offer will come." Neymar's contract with the Peixe expires in 2014 and while he has been adamant that he will not leave before then, recent speculation has suggested that he would be open to a summer exit. The 21-year-old has made over 100 league appearances for the club and has already racked up over a century of goals in his career.