The legal battle between Barça and Neymar is now over

The legal battle between Barça and Neymar is now over

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An "amicable agreement" has been reached between both parties

After four years of legal turmoil between FC Barcelona and Neymar Jr., the two parties have finally reached an agreement. In a statement released yesterday afternoon, Barça said that it "has ended out of court in amicable fashion the various labour and civil litigation cases that were open with the Brazilian player" who now plays for PSG. The statement also said that "a transactional agreement between the Club and the player has been signed to end the legal cases that were pending between the two parties: three claims related to labour and a civil case". An agreement has been reached without either party needing to pay any money to the other.

The hostilities between Barça and Neymar began just days after the player was officially presented as a PSG player, after the Paris club had paid his stratospheric release clause which amounted to 222 million euros (the clause had originally stood at 200 million euros, but this was increased to 222 million euros on 1 July 2017 to try and fend off interest in the player). Following the move, Barça and Neymar started a battle in the courts that lasted for almost four years.

In fact, the legal battle commenced on the day that the Brazilian forward wore the PSG shirt for the first time: 4 August 2017. As the player was being presented at the Parc des Princes amidst a carnival atmosphere, Barça spokesperson Josep Vives announced that the player would not receive his renewal bonus for breaching three clauses of the contract. The Barça board, headed by then-president Josep Maria Bartomeu, were furious at the move, and remained in shock at the forward's departure.

Neymar's lawyers reacted swiftly and made the decision to strike back. They reported FC Barcelona to FIFA and demanded the second agreed payment of the renewal bonus, in addition to the first one.

However, after a lengthy legal battle, both parties have now reached an agreement.

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