Brazilian Forward Neymar the Next Lionel Messi?

Real Madrid have a collection of star players on their roster, and now they're pursuing perhaps the next great one.

Compared by his agent with Barcelona star Lionel Messi, Brazilian forward Neymar is the hottest transfer target at the moment. Real Madrid will be competing with Chelsea, and possibly Manchester United, for his services, but it will come with a hefty price tag.

Last year Santos received an offer of £32m from Chelsea and it was rejected. Now he would not leave for less than £41m, said Neymar's agent Wagner Ribeiro.

The 18-year-old phenom has great crossover moves like Ryan Giggs, and can create shots for himself like Messi and Robinho.

Still, Neymar remains a raw talent who can fizzle like many prospects before him, but he has speed and great field vision, and that's something you can't teach.

For Real Madrid, Neymar's presence might be needed to get past Barcelona. No matter what the fate is of Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema, who are both part of transfer rumors, Neymar would be a quality fit alongside the current group of forwards.

Barcelona ran away with the La Liga title, thanks in good part to Messi. The Catalans are a complete team, but Messi is the player that opponents fear the most. A forward who can create his own shot and slip by defenders is an enormous asset.

Real Madrid, with their famed coach Jose Mourinho, need to add major pieces to keep up with their rivals, and lack a player like Messi. Mourinho has several attackers, but none as explosive as Messi, and lacking a clever scorer might be the difference in winning the La Liga or Champions League titles or falling short again.

Neymar seems like the spark Los Galacticos need. Real Madrid has players in their prime in Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, and Higuain, but they need a young star who gets better as the season progresses, and can turn the momentum of a game around with one play.

It will be interesting to see how much Real Madrid want the coveted attacker. The club is looking to deal Kaka, so they will have money to spend, but the question will be how much do they have to dish out to Neymar, in relation to how they cope with the other holes on the roster.

Chelsea is in a similar position as Real Madrid. Both clubs have lofty goals, and both fell short of expectations this past season. But Chelsea don't seem to be as involved in this summer's transfer market as other clubs.

The Blues will certainly have their eye on Neymar, though. With Brazilians David Luiz, Alex, and Ramires, he might fit in well at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are also in need of a jolt of youth, and Neymar certainly fits that description.

Neymar may not lift whichever club he joins to a title, but he will at least put them in the right direction.