Barcelona don’t think PSG can legally afford Neymar

Barcelona are determined to keep hold of Neymar, and will report Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA if the French club trigger his release clause.

Barcelona plan to report Paris Saint-Germain to UEFA if they trigger Neymar’s £196 million release clause, according to Samuel Marsden of ESPNFC.

Barcelona would consider the move a violation of UEFA’s financial fair play rules. If PSG do trigger Neymar’s release clause, the move would more than double the record for the most expensive signing ever. That honor currently belongs to Paul Pogba, who cost Manchester United £89.3 million last summer.

PSG were previously punished under these rules in 2014. They had to pay a number of hefty fines and were placed under sanctions. This is their first transfer window without additional oversight, which is why Barcelona think they may be breaking the rules in signing Neymar.

The Spanish powerhouse are suspicious of any club with enough money to buy out Neymar’s massive contract. They want soccer’s governing body to investigate the source of these funds.

Additionally, the president of La Liga, Javier Tebas, has said publicly the league will also report PSG’s action to UEFA. If UEFA is unwilling to take action, Tebas said, “we will take it to the Swiss courts of competition and Brussels, and we don’t rule out the courts of France and Spain.” He said this in an interview with Manel Bruna of Munda Deportivo.

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However, if it does go ahead, the signing would be fascinating. The Brazilian phenom scored 13 goals in 30 La Liga appearances last season as part of one of the most devastating front lines in soccer history. The move would be a huge coup for PSG, who finished second to Monaco in Ligue 1 last season, and would immediately boost their chances of winning the Champions League.