Reports are out that English Premier League giant Manchester City is preparing a £145 million move for FC Barcelona winger Neymar as the team wants the Brazilian to be its first big-name acquisition next summer when current Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola takes over the reins from Manuel Pellegrini.

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Metro reported that City "can make Brazil star Neymar the first marquee signing of the Pep Guardiola revolution" this summer as the team is more likely capable of paying the massive £145 million buyout clause in the Seleção current contract with Barça.

Neymar, who turned 24 last Friday, is considered as one of the top three best footballers in the world today behind Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi and Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. He placed third in the race for this year's FIFA Ballon d'Or award, which was won Messi for the fourth time since the honor was instituted in 2010.

Before 2010, the best footballer in the planet received the Ballon d'Or or the FIFA World Player of the Year citations. Since 2015, the winners of both awards have been identical.

Daily Mail Online noted that Messi would have been the Citizen's first choice of marquee signing at the end of the season, but the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has a "strained relationship" with Guardiola, particularly during the latter years of the 45-year-old Spanish manager's stint in Catalonia.

This left the team to focus their eyes on Neymar, whose potential deal could shatter the current world record for the world's most expensive football transfer set in 2013 when Real Madrid bought Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur for £86 million.

The rumored £145 million fee will be also the first time a single player will command a six-digit price in association football history if it indeed pushes through.

The previous transfer record before Bale's was that of Ronaldo when he was bought again by Real from Manchester United for £80 million in 2009.

Neymar, who came from Santos to Barça for a fee of £79.5 million in 2013, is now in his third season with the reigning La Liga champions. He has played 121 games for Blaugrana and has scored 75 times in all competitions.

Tags Football Transfer Rumors, neymar, FC Barcelona, Brazil, Manchester City, Pep Guardiola