Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Barcelona's Luis Suarez: Neymar learns from Lionel Messi

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez says teammate Neymar is learning how to be the best player in the world from their fellow Blaugrana superstar Lionel Messi.

Neymar, 24, is often talked about as the most likely player to take over as the world's number one when Messi, 28, and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, 31, move aside in the coming years.

The Brazilian has already featured on the Ballon d'Or podium -- taking third spot in the 2015 voting behind both the Argentine and Portuguese.

Speaking to Neymar's own personal website, Suarez said that training at Barcelona alongside Messi had shown the talented youngster just what was required to reach the very summit.

"Both of us, Ney and myself, are well aware that Leo is the best in the world, we learn a lot from him," Suarez said. "Ney is learning so he can become the best in the world, as he has so much potential. He has learned a lot here, he has two [sic three] years here in Barcelona and is totally different to when he arrived.

"He knows European football better, physically he is much better, and he himself realises it -- that is why he puts in so much work. He is not a player happy to just train each day, I know that in the afternoons he does extra work which shows how he wants to keep improving."

Meanwhile, Neymar's future remains the subject of much speculation, as talks to extend a Barca contract which ends in June 2018 have yet to bear fruit.

This has led to rumours that potential suitors such as Real Madrid, Paris Saint Germain or Manchester United could pay his €190 million release clause this summer and prise the highly marketable player away from the Camp Nou.

El Club de la Mitjanit has reported that another meeting between Neymar's representatives and Barca directors has taken place. According to the Catalan radio show, a contract extension to run until 2021, which includes a significant increase in his release clause, could be signed soon after Sunday's Copa del Rey final against Sevilla.

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