Neymar’s move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain took a dramatic twist Thursday after Spain’s La Liga refused to accept the world record $263 million fee offered by the French club.
The Brazil star is set to leave Barcelona with the Catalan club confirming Wednesday that Neymar had informed it of his intention to move away from Camp Nou.
But La Liga says it has refused to accept the €222 million bid — enough to activate a buyout clause in Neymar’s contract — with speculation that Spain’s top division has concerns over PSG contravening Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo last weekend, La Liga president Javier Tebas said he would complain to European football’s governing body UEFA about PSG infringing financial regulations that were introduced to discourage football clubs from overspending.
And in a statement published Thursday, La Liga said: “We can confirm that the lawyers of the player (Neymar) have come to La Liga to deposit the clause and that it has been rejected. It is all the information we will give so far.”
In response, the LFP, which is responsible for France’s Ligue 1, said it was “in support and at the disposal of Paris Saint-Germain so that the Neymar contract is approved as soon as possible.”
It also urged the Spanish league “to stick to FIFA’s rules and its responsibilities.”
Neither Barcelona or PSG has responded to CNN’s request for comment.
In Spain, a player has to buy himself out of his contract. The funds are then deposited with La Liga to trigger the release before being transferred to the selling club.
But Neymar, who only signed a new contract with Barcelona in October 2016, could now be made to wait with La Liga alleging PSG is failing to comply with FFP.
According to UEFA rules, clubs can be punished if they incur a losses in excess of €30 million ($35.5 million) over a three-year period.
PSG was fined €60 million ($71 million) and had its Champions League squad limited by UEFA after failing to meet FFP criteria in 2014.
Speaking Wednesday, Tebas told Madrid daily newspaper AS: “We will not accept this money from a club like PSG, especially when this club is infringing the rules and laws.”
Since arriving from Brazilian club Santos in 2013, Neymar has scored over 100 goals for Barcelona, winning the European Champions League, two La Liga titles and three Copa del Rey.
The 25-year-old was part of the world football’s most potent attacking triumvirates alongside five-time world player of the year Lionel Messi, and Uruguay star Luis Suarez.
He has also scored 52 goals in 77 appearances for Brazil as well as winning Olympic gold at last year’s Rio Games.
Marcelo Bechler, the Brazilian journalist who first reported the expected transfer back in July, told CNN Neymar’s decision came out of his desire to one day be crowned the world’s best footballer.
“Neymar thinks he can be the best player in the world,” Bechler said. “And it cannot happen if he plays with (Lionel) Messi.
“They are friends but Neymar can’t play with Messi and be the best player in the world, so that’s why he’s made the decision to leave Barcelona.”
Neymar’s expected departure comes just a week after club officials said the player would “200%” be staying.
His move to Barcelona would become the most expensive in the history of the sport, dwarfing the $120 million Manchester United paid Juventus for Paul Pogba in August 2016.