Neymar plans to sue Barca

BARCELONA: Neymar’s acrimonious split from Barcelona escalated yesterday as the Paris St Germain forward announced plans to sue the Liga club, two days after Barca revealed they were suing the Brazilian over breach of contract.

Reports in the Spanish media said that Neymar had filed a lawsuit via soccer’s world governing body against Barca for an unpaid loyalty bonus of € 26 million, which was included in the last contract the player signed with the Catalan side in November last year.

Fifa confirmed that they had “received a claim from Neymar against FC Barcelona”, and said the matter was being investigated.

PSG smashed the world transfer record earlier this month by triggering the € 222m buy-out clause in the contract.

On Tuesday, Barcelona said they were suing Neymar for € 8.5 m because they wanted him to return the bonus he was paid when he signed the five-year deal.

The bonus Barca referred to was separate to the € 26m payment, according to reports in Spain.

Neymar’s management group, N&N Consultoria, responded in a statement on Tuesday that the player had fulfilled the terms of the contract, as well as stating it was planning legal action.

Meanwhile, Barcelona have agreed to a fee for the transfer of Borussia Dortmund’s Ousmane Dembele to Spain, ending a saga that led to the talented 20-year-old winger being suspended by the Bundesliga club, Germany’s Bild newspaper said yesterday.

Citing unnamed sources, the newspaper said Barcelona had agreed to pay Dortmund € 120 m and up to € 150 m depending on performance bonuses, making it the secondmost expensive signing ever. – Reuters