Audio By Carbonatix
Nine years after footballer Neymar moved from Brazil to Barcelona, he faces trial for alleged irregularities surrounding the transfer.
In a legal saga that has dragged on for years, the Brazilian international who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain is accused of fraud and corruption.
The trial is due to take place for two weeks from 17 October, a month before the World Cup in Qatar.
Several other figures are also due to stand trial.
Two former presidents of Barcelona football club, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Neymar's parents face the same allegations, according to Spanish reports.
All those involved in the case have long denied the allegations, made by investment fund DIS, which argued it was entitled to 40% of Neymar's 2013 transfer fee when he left Brazilian club Santos.
DIS said it had received far less than it should have, as part of the transfer fee had been concealed. When Neymar signed for Barcelona, the club said it was for a €57.1m (£48m) fee and DIS received €6.8m of the €17.1m paid to Santos. The investment fund alleged the real fee was far higher.
The 30-year-old PSG player's expensive transfer fees have long been overshadowed by legal rows.
A year ago, Barcelona reached an out-of-court settlement with the footballer surrounding his record €222m move to Paris St-Germain in 2017. The club said at the time he should pay back millions of euros he had received when he signed a new contract in 2016.
But the Santos transfer in particular has prompted several legal and financial wrangles.
In a 2016 Barcelona court case, dubbed Neymar 1, the club agreed to pay a €5.5m fine to Spanish authorities because of irregularities in the move.
Sandro Rosell, who resigned as president of the club in 2014 over the transfer investigation, spent 20 months in jail before he was cleared of money laundering fees for broadcast rights in 2019.
Latest Stories
-
Starting a business in Ghana as a young man is tough – HR practitioner
4 minutes -
Nkrumah’s policies should inform Ghana’s development — UG African Studies Director
7 minutes -
Ghana Evangelical Missions Association urges Christian leaders to preach against galamsey and intensify advocacy
14 minutes -
Buipe Hausa Festival: National President Tafida calls for vigilance, unity, and youth reform
16 minutes -
Government urges domestic airlines to reduce airfares after duty exemptions
18 minutes -
Beyond vehicle age: Why Ghana needs a smarter vehicle import policy
39 minutes -
Are we marketing Ghana before fixing the experience? A hard question for our tourism ambition
43 minutes -
AFCON 2027Q: Prince Adu Kwabena major doubt for Ghana after head injury
45 minutes -
Government to procure furniture to help more SHSs move from double-track — Haruna Iddrisu
51 minutes -
Adutwum spokesperson alleges ‘turf war’ between Education Ministry and GES over Free SHS
53 minutes -
Black Stars: Adu Kwabena a doubt for September-October games after head injury
1 hour -
Fire guts four-bedroom apartment at Millennium City
1 hour -
KMA seeks funding to restart stalled Kumasi Central Market Phase II project
1 hour -
Government unveils new guidelines to improve regulation of non-profit organisations
2 hours -
Annoh-Dompreh cautions against partisan application of law in political speech cases
2 hours