Neymar Sale - Santos got just £8.09 million!

The big transfer of the window, the latest Brazilian wonder player Neymar to Barcelona, gives us an insight into the murky world of finance in football transfers.

Details have been leaked by Brazilian news outlet Globo Radio and they make for interesting reading. They show the crazy world of transfer finance when buying players whose economic rights have an element of third party ownership.

The minutes of a Santos board meeting on 18th June that have been leaked, show Barcelona paid just £14.7 million (€17 million) to buy Neymar.

Santos only received £8.09 million (€9.35 million) of that, the rest being divided between two companies that owned part of the players’ rights, DIS (40% owners) and Teisa (5% owners).

Now the deal cost Barcelona £49.29 million (€57 million) because they paid Neymar’s dad, who is also his agent, £34.59 million (€40 million) in commission/agent fees. In 2012 Barcelona had paid Neymar’s dad an advance on his son's future transfer to them of £8.65 million (€10 million).

So a player regarded as one of the best in the world and wanted by every top club, is sold for £49.29 million (€57 million) and his former club, Santos, amazingly receive only 16.4% of that, £8.09 million (€9.35 million).

How is this for an add-on clause, nothing as mundane as appearances. According to Brazilian based Globoesporte, Santos will receive an additional £1.73 million (€2 million) if Neymar is named among the top three players in the world in the Ballon d’Or awards within the next five years.

Radio Globo reveal that as part of the deal Barcelona and Santos have agreed to play two friendlies, one this year, one next year. The first is scheduled for Friday August 2nd at the Camp Nou, with Barcelona paying all of the Brazilian club’s travel costs.

The second will take place in Brazil between July and September 2014. If for any reason the match does not take place, Barcelona will then have to pay Santos an extra £3.89 million (€4.5 million).

One complicated deal, football games, award nominations clause, third party economic rights, family agents, it's easy to see why it can be problematical dealing with South American clubs or even European clubs like Porto. A lot of people to please and the selling club not actually receiving that much money.

Makes you understand why Internacional want £21.62 million (€25 million) for Leandro Damiao and are reluctant to accept the £18 million (€15.57 million) that both Spurs and Napoli value him at.

Every little helps.



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