Barcelona have confirmed Neymar has handed in a transfer request and will now be allowed to “resolve his future”.
Neymar was given permission not to train by Barcelona on Wednesday, with transfer talks with PSG having now reached an advanced stage, and was seen leaving the club’s base less than an hour after arriving before later boarding a private flight to London.
A statement from Barcelona read:
“Before the morning session began, Neymar informed those present of his wish to leave the club and was therefore given permission to miss training and resolve his future.”
Barcelona have said Neymar’s €222m (£198m) release clause will “have to be deposited in its entirety”, while the contract extension bonus he is due as of August 1 “remains deposited with a notary until the case is resolved”.
But in another twist to this transfer saga, La Liga president Javier Tebas, has promised to go to war against PSG as the league looks set to lose one of its most marketable assets.
“It’s a clear example of financial doping between club and state,” Tebas told AS.
“We will not accept this money from a club like PSG who, without being part of LaLiga, want to use one of the rights of our organisation, especially as the club are infringing on UEFA regulations, Financial Fair Play and EU laws.”
However, UEFA sources have said that Neymar’s release clause cannot be blocked by La Liga and it remains a matter between the clubs.
UEFA said on Monday:
“PSG must respect financial fair-play rules as do all other clubs in Europe. They must demonstrate that they do not have losses of more than €30m over three years.”
