Neymar’s €222m release payment rejected

La Liga bosses have added extra drama to the Neymar transfer saga by refusing to accept the payment of the striker’s release clause by PSG.

The French giants are set to secure a world-record deal for the Brazilian, worth a staggering £199million (€222m).

Daily Mirror and many other Spanish newspapers reported Thursday afternoon that PSG were told by La Liga president Javier Tebas earlier this week that they would not accept the release clause – and warned a complaint would be filed to UEFA over an apparent FFP breach.

Representatives of Neymar and PSG arrived at the La Liga offices in Madrid on Thursday, planning to deposit the fee to activate the release clause – but it was refused.

A statement read, “We can confirm that the lawyers of the player (Neymar) have come to La Liga to deposit the clause and that it has been rejected. It is all the information we will give so far.”

Transfer experts say, should La Liga continue their stance, PSG and Neymar could now ask FIFA to intervene. Neither Barca or La Liga can block the deal and the Spanish organisation have no legal grounds to reject the money.

Barca are likely to put pressure on UEFA but they cannot ask them to start an investigation, with the governing body only willing to examine the deal at the end of the transfer window.

That would provide the French giants with time to cash in on players to comply with FFP guidelines.

PSG were hopeful of completing a deal for the player before the weekend but that now appears unlikely.