MADRID: Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has justified his own role over the controversial Neymar transfer by insisting he had little knowledge of the negotiations.

Bartomeu reportedly insisted, during three hours of questioning in the high court, that predecessor Sandro Rosell had led the discussions over the disputed contracts.

Rosell, according to Bartomeu, was in charge of sorting the financing and paperwork.

The Spanish tax authorities had claimed that Barcelona evaded the payment of €9.2m in signing of the Brazilian World Cup superstar in the summer of 2013.

Further uncertainty concerns sums referenced in some of the other contracts undertaken in the player’s move from Santos.

According to the tax authorities, Barcelona owe €9.2m for not declaring sums paid under contract to the player before his formal arrival at the club. These totalled €10m in 2011 and another €27.92m in 2012.

The €9.2m represents 24.75pc of the €37.9m which Barcelona paid to businesses controlling Neymar and which the tax office believes were not part of the transfer fee but salary for the player.

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