Barcelona are currently being investigated in Spain due to some alleged irregularities in the transfer of Brazilian star Neymar from Santos in 2013.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu ensures that the club haven"t done anything wrong in the negotiations, and therefore doesn"t believe that the off field issues could prove to be an obstacle for the renewal of Neymar, whose current contract expires in the middle of 2018. Barcelona states that the negotiations started in 2011 and they came to agree with Santos, but the Brazilian club chaned their minds in the last minute because of the belief that they would make more money – from marketing – by keeping the player until the end of the contract. And with the official permission of Santos, Barça negotiated directly with the father of Neymar, a payment of €40 million to ensure the transfer after the World Cup, when the player was free. However, Barça coach Tito Vilanova requested Neymar"s arrival a year prior to what was initially planned, and Barcelona reached an agreement with Santos for €17.1 million.
Bartomeu told Globo Esporte: “I"d say Santos should be very happy that our coach asked for Neymar before [the World Cup], because that way they could get a fee. If Neymar had come after the World Cup, Santos wouldn"t get anything. Neither Santos nor DIS, no one. It cost us more money to bring Neymar a year ahead of schedule. The commitment to the father that we had signed, was done in accordance with Santos, so that we could negotiate. And Barça met all its commitments. I"ve always said that Neymar has nothing to do with all this. The only thing he said was ‘I want to play for Barcelona"."
When asked if he would authorize a club to negotiate with Neymar, the president added: “If someone comes now to negotiate with Neymar, we will not authorize it [laughs]. He will continue at Barcelona."
Barcelona are currently being investigated in Spain due to some alleged irregularities in the transfer of Brazilian star Neymar from Santos in 2013.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu ensures that the club haven"t done anything wrong in the negotiations, and therefore doesn"t believe that the off field issues could prove to be an obstacle for the renewal of Neymar, whose current contract expires in the middle of 2018. Barcelona states that the negotiations started in 2011 and they came to agree with Santos, but the Brazilian club chaned their minds in the last minute because of the belief that they would make more money – from marketing – by keeping the player until the end of the contract. And with the official permission of Santos, Barça negotiated directly with the father of Neymar, a payment of €40 million to ensure the transfer after the World Cup, when the player was free. However, Barça coach Tito Vilanova requested Neymar"s arrival a year prior to what was initially planned, and Barcelona reached an agreement with Santos for €17.1 million.
Bartomeu told Globo Esporte: “I"d say Santos should be very happy that our coach asked for Neymar before [the World Cup], because that way they could get a fee. If Neymar had come after the World Cup, Santos wouldn"t get anything. Neither Santos nor DIS, no one. It cost us more money to bring Neymar a year ahead of schedule. The commitment to the father that we had signed, was done in accordance with Santos, so that we could negotiate. And Barça met all its commitments. I"ve always said that Neymar has nothing to do with all this. The only thing he said was ‘I want to play for Barcelona"."
When asked if he would authorize a club to negotiate with Neymar, the president added: “If someone comes now to negotiate with Neymar, we will not authorize it [laughs]. He will continue at Barcelona."
