Real Madrid Target Neymar Alerts Man City With Claim He Would 'Love' to Work With Pep Guardiola

Neymar has put Manchester City on alert with the revelation that he would like to play for Pep Guardiola, having never had the chance to do so at Barcelona.

Barcelona signed the Brazilian in 2013, a year after Guardiola had left the club. Guardiola enjoyed incredible success at the Nou Camp, winning 14 honours in four seasons including an unprecedented six trophies in 2009.

Neymar has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona's arch rivals Real Madrid after leaving Barça for Paris Saint-Germain in ignominious circumstances last year.

However, he has got Manchester City fans very excited as he told ESPN Brasil (quoted by Diario Sport) that he has always been interested in the idea of working with Guardiola.

"I have always wanted to work with [Pep] Guardiola," said Neymar. "He's different. I arrived [at Barcelona] a year after he left. I'd love to work with him."

Guardiola recently extended his contract at Manchester City and is keen to add to his attacking riches, although it is not known if he would be willing to part with so much money for one player.

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PSG paid a world record fee of €222m for Neymar and he has proved his worth with 28 goals in 30 games on the way to a domestic treble, but he has expressed his discontent with life in Ligue 1, with many reports detailing Real Madrid's campaign to court the star ahead of another record-breaking transfer.

Real Madrid's Marco Asensio is the latest to indicate that he would be happy to see Neymar join him at the reigning European champions.

"Neymar's shown that he's world class," said Asensio. "He's a player that I like, that everyone likes. I would have an understanding with him, I find it easy to understand all players."