Neymar’s transfer from Santos to Barça in 2013 is the subject of a trial
Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar is reportedly set to go on trial for alleged corruption within his contract at Barcelona after joining them from Santos in 2013.
Neymar has been accused of fraud and corruption in relation to the transfer while former Barça club presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, as well as Neymar’s parents, face the same allegations.
Spanish newspaper El Pais reports that the trial will begin in a Barcelona court on October 17 and conclude on October 31 – approximately four weeks before the start of the World Cup
All the defendants involved have denied the allegations however the Spanish High Court have rejected their appeals, which is why the case has now gone to trial.
Spanish prosecutors are reportedly seeking a two-year prison sentence for Neymar, as well as a fine of roughly £8.4m.
Why is Neymar set to go on trial?
The trial comes as a result of a complaint filed by a Brazilian Investment Fund – known as DIS – who specialise in working on the football market.
Within their report they said that they were entitled to 40 per cent of the transfer fee Barcelona paid Santos to sign Neymar. The DIS have claimed that they didn’t receive the full amount they were promised, with some of the fee concealed by Neymar, his family and Barcelona.
Further allegations claim that Neymar and his father, Neymar da Silva Santos, signed two ‘stimulated contracts’ with Barcelona which essentially ignored that the forward’s ‘federative rights’ belonged to Santos.
Within the claim it says that one of the contracts is said to be worth £33m and was conducted without Santos having any knowledge of the agreement.
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