Transfer News – Neymar extends contract, as Barcelona president admits transfer cost over €100 million

Neymar’s transfer from boyhood club Santos in 2013 has been shrouded in mystery, with Barcelona officials often understating the amount they paid for the 24-year-old striker.

Barcelona have been accused of tax fraud in the big money move that saw their Brazilian striker Neymar move to the Camp Nou. Club president Josep Maria Bartmeu initially announced the signing on fee as €57.1 million, but after an investigation was initiated, he claimed the figure was €86.2 million.

The legal proceedings ended with the Catalan club paying €5.5 million to Spanish authorities to settle the case. Now Bartomeu has admitted that the actual cost of the transfer was well over €100 million.

“I think we’re mixing up concepts,” Bartomeu told Spanish paper AS.

“I’ll explain. The cost of signing the player was 57 million, which is what was paid: 17.1 million to Santos and 40 million to the player’s father. Moreover, he reached the final of the Ballon d’Or: an extra two million. Those 59.1 million and the 5.5 million from the agreement with the public prosecutor’s office and the State Attorney’s Office. That’s the cost of the deal.”

“Another thing”, he added, “is the overall cost of the operation. And this is an amount which is over 100 million euros (108.7 million, according to calculations,” he said.). But at the end the club amortized the signing.”

Neymar signs new contract

Neymar has been linked with a number of clubs in the past couple of weeks, with the likes of Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester United all ready to pay his €190 million release clause to sign him. The fact that his contract expires in 2018 and that negotiations have been ongoing for quite some time now, has added further fuel to the rumors.

However, any talks of a move away from Barcelona have now been put to rest. The player and his agent confirmed that the Brazilian has signed a five-year extension that will now keep him at the club till 2021, according to the Independent.

The player took to social media to declare that he was happy to continue living the dream at Barcelona.

Muito feliz de continuar vivendo esse sonho! VISCA BARÇA y VISCA CATALUNYA ?? pic.twitter.com/N8KXEgt5eA

— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) June 30, 2016