Pele warns Blues target
PELE last night warned Chelsea target Neymar against moving to the Premier League because of his concerns over the teenager’s ability to adapt to English football.
The blossoming Brazilian, the latest gifted forward to be compared to the legendary No10, yesterday saw a proposed £40m move to Real Madrid collapse.
That has opened the door for Chelsea, who last August had a £25m bid rejected by Santos, to revive their long-standing interest.
But Pele (right) believes the 19-year-old would find it hard to shine amid the rough and tumble of English football and should stay put for two more years.
“He is a good player and he could play for any team. But it is hard to say whether he will come or not,” said Pele, at an event in London to announce the New York Cosmos Opus, a high-end book on the revived team of which he is life president.
“Last year he had the same proposals and decided to stay [in Brazil]. I think it was good for him because it was his second year.
“To play in England, with the physicality, I think it would be complicated. England is different to playing in Spain. For him, the style of Neymar, England and Germany are complicated because the marking is tight. I hope until the [2014] World Cup he stays in Brazil.”