Barcelona court closes Neymar case

Barcelona have announced that the provincial court has closed a case against Neymar.

The agreement to end the legal proceedings triggered by a complaint from ‘socio’ Jordi Cases was ratified early on Wednesday, according to the club.

Cases had alleged misappropriation of funds and a lack of transparency over Neymar’s transfer to Camp Nou from Santos in 2013, though the Spanish High Court threw out the case earlier this year.

“This Wednesday, the legal representative of FC Barcelona ratified the conclusions of the procedure in relation to the transfer of the player Neymar Jr, at the headquarters of the Provincial Court of Barcelona,” a club statement read.

“The ratification of the agreement has been signed together with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the State Attorney’s office.

“This agreement will be approved in the ruling that is soon to be released by the Provincial Court of Barcelona, which will close the process that began following the complaint made by club socio Jordi Cases before the National Court in December 2013.”

The case was closed after Barca accepted liability and agreed to pay a fine of €5.5million, which exonerated former president Sandro Rosell and successor Josep Maria Bartomeu and drew criticism from Joan Laporta, who was president between 2003 and 2010.

In September, LaLiga officials demanded a hearing with the club in order to make the details of the out-of-court settlement clear.

A separate case involving Brazilian investment group DIS is ongoing.

The company, which owned 40 per cent of Neymar’s economic rights prior to his transfer, claim they are entitled to far more than the reported €6.8m they received as part of the deal.

In November, Spanish prosecutors requested a two-year prison sentence and a €10m fine for the player and his father, who acts as his agent, as well as a custodial sentence for Rosell.