Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 7y

Neymar transfer case relating to Barcelona move closed by court

Barcelona have confirmed that proceedings brought against the club for the misappropriation of funds when signing Neymar have now been closed.

The Catalan club reached a settlement worth €5.5 million earlier this year regarding the tax transfer saga stemming from the Brazil international's arrival from Santos in 2013.

Board members voted 14-2, with two abstentions, in favour of the pact which absolves current president Josep Maria Bartomeu and former president Sandro Rosell of any misdeeds.

"On Wednesday morning, at the headquarters of the Provincial Court of Barcelona, the legal representative of FC Barcelona ratified the writ of conclusions and approval in relation to the open proceedings concerning the signing of the player Neymar Jr," a statement from the club read.

"The ratification of the agreement was signed jointly along with the Public Prosecutor's Office and the State Attorney's Office.

"This agreement will be certified in the decision to be handed down shortly by the Provincial Court of Barcelona, which will close the proceedings stemming from a complaint filed by club member Jordi Casas before the National Court of Spain in December 2013."

Club member Jordi Cases had originally brought the legal action against the club, claiming that Rosell had hidden the real cost of Neymar behind false contracts, a criminal offence punishable by up to six years of prison.

The lawsuit subsequently led to the resignation of Rosell in 2014, with vice president Bartomeu replacing him.

Barca then made a complementary tax declaration €13.5m "to cover any potential interpretation made concerning the contracts signed in the transfer process for Neymar, although we remain convinced that the original tax payment was in line with our fiscal obligations."

However, the case continued until drawing to an end earlier this year when Bartomeu struck the settlement agreement.

"The decision wasn't easy but it was the best thing for the club," Bartomeu said at the time. "In that sense, we were faced with the alternative of accepting the court's settlement or continuing with the tax case. This was the best option for Barcelona."

Another case into the Neymar transfer remains open, though, with Brazilian investment company DIS, which owned 40 percent of the player's rights when he moved to Spain, claiming it's still owed money from the deal.

Spanish prosecutors recently reopened the case, which had been closed, and are seeking a two-year prison sentence and a €10m fine for Neymar on corruption charges because of alleged irregularities during his transfer from Santos to Barcelona.

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