Barcelona want Neymar to follow in footsteps of Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo as club icon for next decade
BARCELONA want Neymar to spearhead their next great team, according to reports in Catalonia.
For the past decade, the Nou Camp giants have been more-or-less the best team on the planet with a whopping 24 major trophies won.
Neymar is seen by the Barcelona hierarchy as the future leader of the teamEPA
When Pep Guardiola replaced Frank Rijkaard in the summer of 2008, he decided he would build the club around Lionel Messi — and the allowed Ronaldinho to leave for AC Milan.
The club have been handsomely repaid with the Argentine winning the Ballon d’Or on five occasions.
But, with Messi now 29, Barcelona need to prepare for the future.
And Sport explain how the club are slowly trying to build the team around Neymar.
Lionel Messi has been king at Barcelona for a decade, but Neymar will take overGetty Images
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Rivaldo was the original modern-day No.1 superstar at BarcelonaAP:Associated PressRivaldo with the Ballon d’Or he won while the star player at Barcelona in 1999ReutersRonaldinho was the next Barcelona superstar to win the Ballon d’OrReuters
He is one of five players currently at the club who will form the spine over the next ten years.
Andres Iniesta is 32 and is seeing fewer minutes throughout the season.
While, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique are also coming towards the end of glorious careers.
Neymar is a big player at Barcelona, but still second to Lionel MessiGetty ImagesSergi Roberto flies in to net the sixth goal in Barcelona’s win over PSGGetty Images
And, despite having only arrived at the club in 2014, 30-year-old Luis Suarez also has his place among the greats secured.
But that incredible quartet needs to be replaced for the long-term.
Sergi Roberto, who has come through the academy and has been forced to play the majority of the season at right-back due to the inability to replace Dani Alves in the summer, will be moved permanently into central midfield.
Sergi Roberto and Barcelona celebrate after incredible win over PSGGetty Images
Meanwhile, despite various blunders throughout the season, the Barcelona board see Marc-Andre ter Stegen as the club’s No.1 goalkeeper for years to come.
While Samuel Umtiti has proven himself invaluable alongside Pique at the heart of the defence and is considered the long-term option.
There are plenty of academy hopefuls, too.
There is a lot of hype surrounding Carles Alena’s potential at BarcelonaGetty ImagesBarcelona see Marc-Andre ter Stegen as No.1 goalkeeper for next decadeGetty Images
Carles Alena is the most prominent. The 19-year-old has already become a regular in the match-day squad.
And is expected to make a bigger impact next season.
Centre-back Eric Garcia is also expected to have a bright future — with observes weighing up whether to label him ‘the next Carles Puyol’ or the ‘next Pique’.
But it’s the retention of Neymar which will be the main concern for Barcelona.
Barcelona are preparing for life after Gerard Pique, Luis Suarez and Sergio BusquetsGetty ImagesThe core of Barcelona’s 2011 Champions League-winning side needs replacingEPA
Manchester United are extremely keen to lure away a player whose ambitions of winning the Ballon d’Or will never be fulfilled while he plays second-fiddle to Messi.
However, Barcelona will point out to him that all their icons eventually always win football’s most-prestigious awards.
In 1999, it was Rivaldo. Six years later, Ronaldinho — and then Messi took over.
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