#3. Neymar; Santos to FC Barcelona; €88.2m
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Barcelona signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Santos in 2013 for what they said was €57 million. It was a smart signing for the Catalan club. Neymar was ripping up the Brazilian League and would fit seamlessly into the Barcelona style of play. However, almost a year after the summer of 2013, Neymar’s true transfer value was revealed to be around €88.2 million, almost €30m greater than the official fee. This value made Neymar’s transfer from Santos to Catalonia one of the most expensive as well as one of the most controversial ever.
It was reported that Santos received only a fraction of the deal, while third-parties got most of the lucrative fee. After the scandal got on the forefront, Spain’s tax authorities were quick to jump on the case and Barcelona were made to pay an incremental €13.5m. Added to that, Barcelona paid in legal fees several million more which would actually make Neymar’s transfer the most expensive ever.
However, Neymar has not disappointed since coming in at Camp Nou in spite of the controversies surrounding him. He has scored 85 goals in his three seasons with Barcelona and was instrumental in Barcelona’s treble success in the 2014-15 season. Neymar is just 24 and could become one of the greatest of the game if he continues his meteoric rise in the Barca shirt.
