FC Barcelona offers detailed figures of Neymar transfer
Neymar’s father has authorised FC Barcelona to lift the confidentiality clauses in his son’s contract. The Catalan club has insisted that the transfer total was €57.1 million and detailed all the payments referring to the player’s salary and other agreements reached with organisations connected to him. Barça’s new President, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Director of the Football Management Area, Raül Sanllehí, clarified a number of stories published in various Spanish newspapers and as an exception, revealed details of Neymar’s salary. “We have not lied. Football games are won on the pitch, not behind closed doors in offices”, said Bartomeu.
Barcelona (FCB).- The father of Neymar Jr., Neymar da Silva, has authorised FC Barcelona to lift the confidentiality clauses in his son’s contract and this Friday evening, Barça’s new President Josep Maria Bartomeu, assisted by the Director of the Football Management Area, Raül Sanllehí, explained all the figures involved in the transfer: “we have not lied. Football games are won on the pitch, not behind closed doors in offices . We lost Di Stefano in an office, but we’ve not lost Neymar”, insisted the FC Barcelona’s President, adding: “when Barça wanted to sign Neymar, the representatives of all Europe’s top clubs were in Brazil trying to get his services for their teams”.
Bartomeu revealed that Neymar’s father considered the recent reports about the signing were unjust and the President stressed the fact that his son had always preferred Barça, despite bigger offers from other clubs: “he preferred to come to Barça ahead of other European clubs who would have paid much more. Neymar Jr. believes in Barça’s values and also really wanted to play alongside Leo Messi”. Bartomeu and Sanllehí had thus decided to come forward with all the figures from the transfer to rebut the stories recently published in the Spanish press. FC Barcelona had also decided to reveal the player’s salary, though Sanllehí made it quite clear that: “we will not speak in public again about a player’s wages”.
Cost – 57.1 Million Euros
“We are very proud of the Neymar contract, but it seems like we are being asked to apologise for it. It was a very tough negotiation”, according to Raül Sanllehí, who personally headed the team which hammered out the deal. The Director of the Football Management Area said he very much regretted that the figures surrounding the transfer had been leaked, but again insisted that the global cost of the transfer was 57.1 million Euros, to which a bonus of 2 million Euros will be added if Neymar finishes in the top three of the Ballon D’Or.
As well as explaining again the figures paid to Santos – 17 million Euros – and the 40 million Euro compensation paid to N&N (Neymar da Silva and Nadine, the players parents), FC Barcelona also revealed the player’s salary. The total salary cost to the Catalan club is 56.7 million Euros (gross), which is divided into three concepts: 2.7 million Euros as agent commission (5%, rather than the 10 or 15% paid by other clubs) , a 10 million Euro signing on fee and a guaranteed salary of 44 million Euros.
Transparent, but discreet dealings
FC Barcelona have also struck a number of agreements with organisations connected to the player, such as the Foundation Neymar Jr., a commercial agent to link Neymar’s image with FC Barcelona’s in Brazil, an agreement with Santos concerning academy players and with N&N, who will scout young talent at the Brazilian club.
Raül Sanllehí summed up Barça’s dealings in this matter by claiming: “transparency is very important, but transparency handled properly, because if you open the door too wide, it becomes indiscreet and that can work against the interests of the club”.