Neymar’s transfer from Santos to Barcelona in 2013 has continued to generate controversy, even five years after the deal was sealed.
The latest is from a posthumous letter by late Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro, former President of Santos, who died on August 16, 2016.
According to the content of the letter published by a local Brazilian paper, De Oliveira Ribeiro lamented that the player’s father, Neymar Sr, had already committed the player to Barcelona and had received payments from the Spanish giants before the player went ahead to play for Santos in the Club World Cup game of December 2011 against Barcelona.
The CONMEBOL champions lost to the UEFA Champions League champions by 4-0, and De Oliveira Ribeiro wrote in the March 15, 2016 letter that the action of the player’s father affected Neymar’s concentration for the game.
He said, “Santos and I personally never received any information or document about the fact that before the end of the Club World Cup, Mr. Neymar, father of the player, had already committed his son to Barcelona and had received payments.
“Santos played that final with a player who had received money from his rival, which influenced the performance of Neymar Junior thereafter at Santos.
“He was not the same playful player, who was superior to the rivals.
“I said that to the press and, unfortunately, it is a fact.
“His contract with Santos was in force and he had a duty to comply obligatorily.”