Neymar’s Transfer to Barcelona Had Shocking Demands, Says Ex-Santos President

Former Santos president Luis Álvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro has made some shocking claims about Neymar's transfer to Barcelona in 2013. He said the deal included some unusual demands from Neymar’s father, Neymar Sr.

Neymar joined Barcelona from Santos in a transfer worth around €90 million. His father and agent played a key role in making this move happen.

According to the Daily Star, a British tabloid, Ribeiro said the negotiations included several requests. These included free coffee, private air travel, and an alleged orgy at a hotel in Piccadilly, London.

Ribeiro talked about his dealings with Neymar Sr. He claimed the father often expected the club to pay for his expenses. "The €90 million included coffees for Neymar’s father, as well as an orgy in a hotel in Piccadilly, London, because Neymar’s father was looking to claim everything,” Ribeiro said.

He also said he paid for about 200 coffees consumed by Neymar Sr during their meetings. Ribeiro added that a plane was arranged to take Neymar Sr to Florianópolis to watch Brazil’s national team play.

Luxury Travel Demands

The former Santos president criticized the demands for luxury travel in later contracts. He claimed Neymar Sr wanted first-class flights for himself and business-class seats for two advisers when going to see his son play away from home.

Neymar’s move to Barcelona was one of the most talked-about transfers in football. Reports suggested that Neymar Sr received huge payments tied to the agreement.

It was reported that Neymar Sr received about £8.9 million after a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona in 2011. He allegedly received another £35.8 million when the transfer was completed in 2013.

However, the deal later drew legal attention. A Brazilian investment group called DIS accused Neymar, his father, and others of corruption and fraud. DIS claimed they were entitled to 40 percent of the transfer rights they held in Neymar while he was at Santos.

They argued that the terms of the Barcelona deal took away money they were owed. The legal issues also involved former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, along with others related to the transfer.

Neymar and the other defendants were eventually cleared in the Spanish legal proceedings. This brought the criminal case to a close.

Despite all the controversy, Neymar has become one of football’s biggest stars. He later moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 in a record-breaking deal.