Transfer talk: ‘Happy where I am right now’ Neymar says of Barcelona, as Guardiola arises again

The topic of Pep Guardiola has come up again with Neymar expressing his admiration for the presumed Manchester City-bound manager, but he insists he is set at Barcelona.

Barcelona's Neymar shown during his team's Copa del Rey win over Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday night. Lluis Gene / AFP / January 27, 2016

Neymar's wandering eye has again raised the possibility of Manchester City, with the Barcelona superstar specifically pinpointing Pep Guardiola as a manager he would like to study under.

But, as he has done consistently over the past weeks, the striker committed to his club in saying he is still “very happy” with Barca.

"There is one," Neymar said of managers he wanted to play for, when the subject came up in an interview with Red Bull. "Guardiola is a guy that I really admire and that I would love to work with."

Guardiola has yet to make public his plans beyond the season's end, when he has said he will finalise his Bayern Munich tenure. But between his stated desire to work in England and the presence of former officials from his time at Barca now in Man City's employ, it is presumed to be his likeliest destination. Though the possibility of other clubs has been raised, Andy Mitten reported for The National last week that Manchester United, for one, do not see Guardiola as the right fit for their club's structure.

Read more: The National's Transfer Talk page

Which again means Guardiola seems City-bound, and if Neymar were to play under him would need to make a similar move himself.

Neymar said cryptically, “Nobody knows tomorrow.

“But I’m very happpy where I am right now, at Barcelona.”

The comments continue an ongoing theme of Neymar admitting his impulses to pursue opportunities away from Barcelona at some point – he also mentioned wanting to play in the United States and returning to Brazil for a final bow in the Red Bull interview – while saying he is ultimately content with the current situation.

Last month at the airport in Barcelona he told reporters "you never know, life is long" when asked about a move. Pressed specifically on Manchester City and Pep Guardiola, however, he did say "no, not that" at the time.

Neymar, who turns 24 in a week, has been in talks with Barca about a new contract, and with no deal done is has fuelled the fire of speculation around his future. Tax run-ins with the authorities both in Spain and Brazil on various occasions have also appeared to frustrate him.

Neymar’s father Neymar Sr has before said “we have a problem” with the legal entanglements.

The Brazilian has continued to be a consistent goal-scorer for Barca this season, with five goals in his last five matches between La Liga and the Copa del Rey.

Barcelona face off with joint leaders Atletico Madrid in a massive match on Saturday at the Camp Nou.

Also see: Diego Forlan on how Atletico Madrid are the one team with the ingredient to scare Barcelona

Liverpool

Liverpool appear to have been priced out of a January move for forward Alex Teixeira after Shakhtar Donetsk's chief executive Sergei Palkin set the fee at £53 million (Dh278m) – for a summer transfer.

The Premier League club opened negotiations with the Ukrainian team last week after chief executive Ian Ayre flew out to their winter training camp in Florida.

However, after a £24m offer was declined talks have continued but the two parties are so far apart in their valuation of the 26-year-old Brazilian it now seems unlikely there will be any deal done before the transfer window closes.

“Liverpool stopped after an offer of 3 2million euros and a 4 million euros bonus,” Palkin told Ukrainian television channel Football 1.

“We obviously refused to accept it. This is the last number that was announced. Our position is that we do not want to sell Teixeira today.

“We will sell him only at the end of the season. We need to have some good results in the Europa League and the Ukraine championship.

“At the end of the season we will sit down at the negotiating table. Teixeira has a compensation charge in his contract – the price is 70 million euros.

“Please, if someone wants him – let them come and declare themselves.”

*Press Association

Sunderland

Bordeaux's pacy attacking midfielder Wahbi Khazri is joining Premier League club Sunderland where he is due to undergo a medical on Friday, the Tunisian international disclosed.

The 24-year-old’s transfer fee is around €10 million (Dh40m), according to reports in the British media.

Khazri, who was born in Ajaccio, moved to Bordeaux in 2014 after six years with Bastia.

Capped 22 times the Tunisian has scored 14 goals in Ligue 1 with 11 assists.

Relegation-threatened Sunderland have already been active in Ligue 1, Sam Allardyce’s side signing Ivory Coast defender Lamine Kone from Lorient on Wednesday.

*Agence France-Presse

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport