Barcelona Agrees To Pay MASSIVE Fine To Save Neymar’s Career

La Liga champions, Barcelona has accepted
to pay a mega €5.5million (£4.3million)
fine over Neymar’s contested 2013 transfer
in order to save the young Brazil
international’s career and keep him at the
Nou Camp.
Daily Mail UK reports that the deal with
prosecutors will see the club avoid trial on
tax evasion charges as well as save Neymar
the hassle of grueling court proceedings.
“It was better to accept this pact than
continue on with the uncertainty that has
dragged on for a long time over the
Neymar case,” Barcelona president Josep
Maria Bartomeu was quoted as saying, in
reference to the transfer deal that
authorities believe was undervalued,
allowing the club to pay lower taxes in
Spain.
To officially confirm the agreement,
Barcelona, in a statement its website,
admitted that it had made an ‘error in tax
planning’ over Neymar’s signing.
“The Board of Directors, which convened
for an ordinary session at the Club’s offices
on Monday, has decided to approve the
agreement presented by the Club’s Legal
Services with regard to the case
surrounding the signing of Neymar Jr,
currently being heard in the Courts of the
Province of Barcelona,’ the statement read.
“The agreement involves the recognition
by the Club of an error in tax planning for
the signing of the player, for the fiscal
years 2011 and 2013, when they did not
not correctly withhold payments resulting
from his incorporation.
“In addition, the Club has been exonerated
from responsibility for the fiscal year 2014,
which was also part of the proceedings.
“The Board considers the approval of this
agreement to be a positive step, one that
puts an end to a situation of legal
uncertainty that could have affected the
viability of the Club’s sporting and
economic plan in the coming years.
“Given the importance of this decision, the
Board has decided to subject the motion to
approval at the next General Assembly of
Member Delegates.’
Neymar, who missed Brazil’s unsuccessful
Copa America campaign, scored 31 goals in
49 games for Barcelona last season as it
won La Liga and the Copa del Rey.