What We're Reading
Spanish Court Investigating Neymar Transfer
- AFP, Wednesday, January 22, 2014 3:23 PM
A Spanish court on Wednesday confirmed that it is investigating the transfer of Neymar to Barcelona last summer over claims of a misappropriation of funds. The Brazil international was paraded around the Camp Nou as a 57 million euro ($77 million) signing from Santos last June but the details of the contract were not revealed due to a confidentiality agreement.
However, Barca member Jordi Cases demanded clarity over the transfer and decided to pursue legal action. State prosecutors have now backed the legal challenge and called for a hearing to determine whether there could be a case of “contractual simulation” or distorting the final figures over what has to be paid. In particular, they highlighted the 40 million euros ($54.2 million) that was paid as part of the overall transfer fee and went to a company owned by Neymar’s father.
Meanwhile, Spanish daily El Mundo on Monday claimed that the player actually cost upward of 95 million euros ($129 million). When asked about the El Mundo story and the state proceedings against Barca, President Sandro Rosell reiterated that Neymar cost 57 million and said he would gladly testify in court.
