A Spanish court has called for Neymar to serve a two-year prison sentence for his role in a corruption case revolving around his move to Barcelona in 2013.
The 24-year-old joined Barca from Brazilian club Santos, but the deal has been dogged by allegations after investment company DIS – which owned 40 per cent of Neymar’s transfer rights – claimed it did not receive all the money it was due from his move to La Liga.
Former Barca president Sandro Rosell resigned in 2014 over the controversy, but now Judge Jose Perals has also called for him to serve a five year prison spell – and demanded Barcelona FC pay a €8.4million (£7.2m) fine.
The club had previously agreed a deal to settle the case in June when they paid a £4.7m fine, but that ruling was overturned by Spain’s public prosecutor in September.
Neymar himself is unlikely to ever actually have to serve any prison time – Spanish law means any sentence of under two years is usually suspended – if it is a first offence – as is the case for his Barca club-mate Lionel Messi, who is currently appealing a 21 month sentence for tax fraud.
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