Court probes Barca-Neymar contract

Published Dec. 18, 2013 12:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

A Spanish judge ordered Barcelona to hand over documents related to the signing of Brazil striker Neymar on Wednesday while he considers hearing a lawsuit brought by one of its club members regarding the cost of the transfer.

Judge Pablo Ruz gave Barcelona five days to present the ''contract or contracts signed by Neymar Da Silva Junior or his representatives and the papers indicating the amounts received for the contracts'' and its financial reports from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

Barcelona club member Jordi Cases brought the suit against club President Sandro Rosell, accusing him of misappropriation of funds.

The lawsuit claims that the transfer cost to acquire Neymar from Brazilian club Santos in June was higher than the 57 million euros announced by Barcelona.

Barcelona spokesman Toni Freixa insisted on Monday that the official transfer sum was correct. He said 17.5 million euros were paid to Santos but that the club could not reveal the recipients of the remainder due to a confidentiality agreement.

''The lawsuit is baseless,'' Freixa said. ''It was a legal operation.''