Top Stories

Barcelona players ‘would have accepted pay delay’ for Neymar deal

Barcelona’s players offered to accept delays to their pay if it would help the club re-sign forward Neymar in the summer, says defender Gerard Pique.

Barcelona did “everything possible” to sign the Brazil international but a move did not materialise.

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris St-Germain for a world record fee of 222m euros (£200m) in 2017.

Pique said players told the club they would accept delays to pay to help the club meet Financial Fair Play rules.

“We were ready to adjust our contracts,” Pique told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser.

ALSO READ:  Ballack ‘not surprised’ by Lampard Chelsea success

“We weren’t going to contribute money, but we were going to make things easier by allowing some payments to be made in the second or third year instead of the first.”

Barcelona spent more than £200m in the summer, including deals for midfielder Frenkie de Jong from Ajax and Antoine Griezmann from Atletico Madrid.

Financial Fair Play rules, which prevent clubs from spending beyond their means, were understood to be one of the issues Barcelona would have had to have overcome to sign forward Neymar.

Sporting Tribune

Recent Posts

EPL: Man City, Arsenal level as title race goes to wire

The balance between the two sides remains tight, and the title will be settled by…

35 minutes ago

EPL: Battle for Europe enters final stretch

The Premier League is set to have five teams in next season’s Champions League through…

2 hours ago

La Liga: Yamal picks up injury in Barca’s win over Celta Vigo

The Catalans ultimately ground out a 1-0 win on Wednesday, further cementing their status as…

3 hours ago

Fernandes, Iraola, other transfer stories

Chelsea are also looking at former midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who is currently managing Italian club…

11 hours ago

EPL: Haaland fires Man City top as Burnley drop to Championship

City have hit form at the right time and are looking in ominous mood, clawing…

11 hours ago

Meet Chelsea’s new interim manager, Calum McFarlane

McFarlane’s move into senior management came earlier this season following the exit of Enzo Maresca....

11 hours ago

This website uses cookies.