Barcelona 'open Neymar contract talks'

The attacker signed a five-year deal upon completion of his €57m transfer last summer, but Sport claim the club consider him to be indispensable and are keen to fend off rivals as negotiations with other suitors tend to begin two years prior to expiration.

The newspaper adds contact has already been initiated between Barca and Neymar's father-agent and that there is a mutual interest from both parties to negotiate a renewal, although nothing is expected to be finalised until the presidential elections in 2016.

With the above factors in mind, La Blaugrana intend to offer Neymar an extension until June 2022, of which two years have been essentially written off, and the 22-year-old is believed to be excited at the prospect of prolonging his stay in Catalonia.

Barca spent almost €150m to bring in both the ex-Santos forward and Luis Suarez over the past two summers, and they maintain that the pair will continue to forge an unparalleled strike partnership with Lionel Messi.

Speaking to reporters after landing in Sao Paulo, where he will spend his Christmas and New Year holidays, Neymar hinted: "I hope that us three [my father, Barca and I] stay together. We can build a sustainable association."

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