Barca's Alves pleads with Neymar

Neymar, 21, has been linked strongly with Barcelona as Europe's leading clubs continue to track the Santos forward, whose contract in his homeland is ticking down with a move to Europe expected sooner rather than later.

Some reports have even suggested the deal is done, but that has been denied and so Alves has continued his lobbying campaign.

"I've been at it for ages," Alves said in an interview with FIFA.com.

"When the rumours of him making a move to Europe started, I told him he should come to Barcelona."

Neymar appears to have his pick of clubs, but Alves believes Barcelona is a special case.

"It's more than a club," he said.

"The motto says it all: they look after you, they pamper you and they always treat you and your family well. Look, it's got values that virtually no other club has, and that's what makes it unique.

"Everyone says you can't compete with Barcelona; but if you go to the club, you'll see that they work from the bottom up and that's why we've got all these great players. If you look at the signings they make, they just buy what they need.

"The rest of the players are all from the youth set-up. They made a commitment to it and the results are there."