Santos say they knew nothing of Barcelona payments to Neymar

A laywer for Brazilian club Santos told the Spanish High Court that Neymar “had tricked” them in order to achieve his move to Barcelona, and that the club hadn’t received any of the 40 million euros paid by the Catalan club to the player as part of his signing. 

Santos, along with Neymar, Barcelona itself as well as its president Bartomeu and former president Rosell, are being sued by the company DIS, who held 40% of the rights to the player when he was sold to Barcelona. DIS are arguing that the final price was far higher than the 17.1 million paid to Santos (of which DIS received their cut). A Spanish court investigating the deal has found the real transfer price to be significantly higher, around 83.3 million euros.

Prosecutors and DIS have argued that Neymar and his family agreed in secret with Barcelona to ensure they received the majority of the purchase price.

Santos are arguining that they didn’t know anything about these deals and they only received their part of the 17.1 million euros paid. According to the club they say they were forced to sell Neymar to Barcelona, due to Brazilian laws that mean a player can only be sold to the club of his choosing, and that they were told the price paid was the only figure on offer for the transfer.

Santos say, however, that they later realised that Barcelona had in fact paid other amounts over and above this to the player.

Neymar will be in court today to explain his part in the deal.