Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro de Oliveira has warned Neymar against a move to England.
Chelsea failed with a bid to sign Neymar, 19, from Santos last summer but retain an interest in the player.
Neymar has said it would be his “dream” to play for the London club and, after his impressive performance in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Scotland at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium on Sunday, said: “The stadium is great; the pitch is, too. The weather I don’t like all that much, but I could get used to it.”
Oliveira, though, feels Neymar would struggle to play his natural game if he moved to a Premier League club.
“Playing in England is not the same as playing at [Santos’ stadium] Vila Belmiro,” he told ESPN. “It is much worse, because of the climate and the style of football, which he is unaccustomed to.
“We have demonstrated that, as he has developed into a player who represents the best of Brazilian football – being audacious, skillful, effective, attacking – he is going to become a key figure in the history of Brazilian football.
“He is going to gain international recognition, and maybe get chosen as the best player in the world, playing in Brazil. This is something that hasn’t happened since Pele’s day, and he has a golden chance.”
Neymar has stressed that he has no plans to force a move from Santos in the near future.
“I am happy there and, when the time comes, God will make me take the right decision and things will happen,” he said.
