Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro has warned Chelsea they will have to pay Neymar’s £28.75 million release fee if they wish to sign him.
Neymar, 18, is considered one of the hottest young prospects in Brazilian football and he opened his account for the national team in their 2-0 victory over USA this week.
Chelsea have already seen a bid rejected for Neymar, but it is reported that their chief scout, Michael Emenalo, watched the game against the USA alongside agent Pini Zahavi.
Santos have already indicated that they would not be willing to part with Neymar for anything less than his release clause, and the club’s president has stressed that there is no way he will be leaving on the cheap.
“The clause is there,” he told the Brazilian press. “If they pay it, they can take him.”