Barca pay 13.5 million euros to tax officials in Neymar case

Barcelona paid 13.55 million euros (HK$143 million) to Spanish tax authorities on Monday to cover any potential irregularities in their signing of Neymar, all the while maintaining their innocence against any fraud charges.

The Spanish champions said in a statement they had paid the "complimentary" amount to cover any "eventual interpretations that could come out of the contracts signed relating to the transfer of Neymar. Meanwhile we are convinced of the legality of our initial fulfilment relating to our tax obligations."

Barcelona's actions take the price of Neymar's transfer to more than 100 million euros after the Catalan club initially said they had paid 57.1 million euros for the Brazil forward.

That sum does not include bonus payments made by Barcelona or the 22-year-old's salary, meaning his total cost likely exceeds the record-breaking 100 million plus euros spent by rivals Real Madrid on Gareth Bale last summer.

Spanish tax authorities had charged Barcelona with fraud on Thursday, alleging the club swindled the state of 9.1 million euros through payments to varying companies and false contracts.

Barcelona said they had "scrupulously" met their financial obligations in signing the player from Brazilian club Santos and would continue to work with the state authority in the matter.

Neymar's signing forced the resignation of Sandro Rosell as Barca president last month, after one club member's petition to learn more about the intricate details of what has become a club-record signing were kept in the dark.

Rosell preached financial prudence while signing lucrative sponsorship deals that have put advertising on the front of Barcelona's jersey for the first time in the history of an institution that considers itself "more than a club" and a symbol of Catalan values.

Rosell is being investigated by the same Spanish court that laid the fraud charges against the club.

Of the initial transfer fee, Brazilian club Santos received 17.1 million euros, while Neymar's father, who also goes by Neymar, earned 40 million euros.

Barcelona said the decision to make the payment came after an emergency board meeting on Sunday.