1. Neymar da Silva (Santos FC 2013/2014) – €88.3 million
Perhaps the most disputed transfer in Barcelona history, this is the one that really cost the club more than just money. A controversial affair involving tax fraud, an agent-father and some angry employees within the club hierarchy have made this the most incredible – and expensive – Barcelona signing ever.
Back in 2013, the interest in Neymar was filling column inches, tabloids and conversations around the world. Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Arsenal, Juventus or Barcelona; where would Brazilian sensation Neymar Dos Santos move to?
He had the pick of every great club at his desire as the most-coveted young player on the planet. Eventually, it was announced that he had signed a 5-year contract with Barcelona for an undisclosed fee, to the pleasure of fans all over Catalunya. The boy-wonder was theirs now, and there was nothing anybody in Madrid could do. However, the whistle-blower on the murky deal would come from the inside.
A disgruntled Barcelona club member (Jordi Cases) was unhappy about how the deal was conducted and demanded that the fee’s true value be reviewed. This led to a full-scale investigation on the gigantic €57million transfer cost that had been mooted, but was nowhere near the truth.
Why? Because the club's coffers had been plundered for far more than that. Eventually, it was discovered that Neymar’s agent (and father) had been paid around €40 million for their son’s services. The case brought Barcelona on the brink of prosecution over tax evasion, but they paid another €13 million in ‘complementary tax declaration’ fees to the Spanish government.
Including his wages, Barcelona splashed out an incredible minimum fee of €127 million for the boy-wonder. And the resignation of former president Sandro Rosell. 85 goals and 8 trophies so far, the young man still has some way to go to justify all of those transfer twists and turns, but if anyone ever had the talent to do so, it’s definitely Neymar.
