Neymar testifies he had no involvement in negotiations over 2013 transfer to Barcelona
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian forward Neymar leaves to the courthouse in Barcelona on October 18
By Wayne Sterling, CNN
Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar Jr. told a Barcelona court on Tuesday that he wasn’t involved in negotiations that sent him from Santos to FC Barcelona in 2013, according to Reuters.
“I didn’t participate in the negotiations,” Neymar said. “My father always took care of it and always will. I sign everything he tells me to sign. Playing for Barcelona was always my dream, a childhood dream.”
The 30-year-old, alongside his parents, former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, representatives of both clubs and Odilio Rodrigues, Santos president are facing fraud and corruption charges over the transfer.
All nine defendants have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, according to Reuters.
Neymar’s father, Neymar da Silva Santos, testified: “Our intention was to prepare a career plan for him in Europe, in which we had in place already established, could learn the language, etc. And knowing his dream to play for Barcelona, we signed that priority agreement with them.”
The case was brought on by a Brazilian investment firm DIS, owners of 40% of Neymar’s rights while he was at Santos who allege that his transfer to Barcelona was undervalued.
Spanish prosecutors are pursuing a two-year prison term and a $9.8 million fine for Neymar as well as a five-year jail term for Rosell.
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