Barcelona and Neymar have reached an agreement to end a number of long-standing disputes in an “amicable fashion”.
Neymar was embroiled in many fierce legal battles with his former club after joining Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record £198million transfer in 2017.
The Brazilian forward demanded Barcelona pay him a renewal bonus he was allegedly yet to receive, while the Catalan giants hit back by suing the 29-year-old for breach of contract.
Legal proceedings dragged on for many years with no sign of complete resolution, but Barcelona have released a statement confirming an out-of-court agreement has been reached to end hostilities between the two parties.
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
“Barcelona have ended out of court in amicable fashion the various labour and civil litigation cases that were open with the Brazilian player Neymar,” reads the statement.
“As such, a transactional agreement between the club and the player has been signed to end the legal cases that were pending between the two parties.”
Neymar’s time with Barcelona was filled with controversy from the moment of his sensational arrival from Santos in 2013.
Barca claimed they paid €57million (£49m) to sign him from the Brazilian club, but it later emerged the transfer fee was in the region of €80million (£68m).
Former Barca president Sandro Rosell resigned in 2014 after a lawsuit in Spain claimed the cost of the deal was hidden in false contracts.
As part of the alleged fraudulent activity, Neymar’s father was said to have received a large percentage of the final fee through a company he owned.
Barcelona were later charged with tax fraud and the club sought to save face by paying a voluntary €13.6million (£11.6m) to close the case.
Meanwhile, DIS Esporte also filed a lawsuit claiming they had not been paid what they were due from the deal despite owning 40 per cent of Neymar’s economic rights at Santos.
Further controversy followed Neymar’s PSG transfer in 2017 over a €43million (£37m) renewal bonus included in a contract he signed with Barcelona the previous year.
He received €14million (£12m) prior to leaving for Le Parc des Princes and demanded Barca pay the rest of the sum.
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But Barcelona responded by suing Neymar for breach of contract and requested he return the £12million already paid plus €8.5million (£7.2m) in damages plus interest.
The case came to a head last July when a judge ruled Neymar had breached his contract by terminating his contract without just cause to join PSG, who had paid his release clause.
Neymar was ordered to pay Barcelona €6.7million (£5.7m) and appealed the verdict, but the Blaugrana’s latest statement suggests their fresh settlement has resolved all disputes.
