Brazil superstar Neymar has urged Manchester United’s unsettled striker Wayne Rooney to consider a move to Barcelona, saying it would be a dream to play with the England forward.
Neymar, who himself joined the Catalan side earlier this summer for £48.6million from Brazilian side Santos, has described the Camp Nou as the perfect destination for a player of Rooney’s talent.
The Samba star, who scored a sensational goal in Brazil’s thumping 3-0 win over Spain in last night’s Confederation Cup final, said: ‘The style of football we (Barcelona) play and the level of the players we have - we are the perfect club for the top players to join.'
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'Wayne is one of the most gifted and technical players in the world. Of course he would improve Barcelona. He would improve any club in Europe.
'And on a personal level, it would be a dream to play with him. I have met Wayne on a few occasions and he seems a good guy but importantly, he is one of the players I admire most in the world.'
Rooney, who is this week set for talks with new United manager David Moyes, has received somewhat different advice from England’s assistant boss and former club and country team-mate Gary Neville, who has urged the forward to remain at Old Trafford.
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Speaking to talkSPORT, Neville said: 'He’s a fantastic footballer I played with Wayne for many years. He’s a fantastic footballer.
'Personally, with my allegiances, I’d never recommend anyone leave United because I believe it is a great stage to play football and you can achieve what you want there.”
Neville, who spent six years playing alongside Rooney for the Red Devils before his retirement in 2010, went on to explain that any move away from Old Trafford could be a step down from the trophy-laden success that Rooney has enjoyed at United.
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Neville added: 'I’ve seen David Beckham and other big players leave United and it really is something that comes down to the individual and the club.
'I’ve seen Ryan Giggs, when he was 27, linked to Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan and stay.'
Rooney’s Old Trafford future was cast into doubt when retired manager Sir Alex Ferguson claimed in a post-match interview after his final home game in charge at United that the striker had expressed a desire to leave the club.
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Rooney and his representatives remain adamant, however, that the player has not handed in an official transfer request and that he merely suggested it may be for the best that he moved on if he could not be guaranteed a more important role in the team.
The England man had been left frustrated after being dropped for the crucial Champions League match against Real Madrid and after Ferguson continually deployed him in central midfield or on the wing towards the end of the season.
The situation must now be resolved by Moyes, who has pencilled in a meeting with Rooney for early this week. Should the club and player be unable to sort out their differences, it is anticipated that Arsenal, Chelsea, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain will lead the chase for United's fourth highest goalscorer of all time.
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