Barcelona pays Spanish tax authorities $18.6 million over Neymar's transfer last summer

MADRID – Barcelona paid 13.55 million euros ($18.6 million) to Spanish tax authorities to cover any potential irregularities in its signing of Neymar, while while maintaining its innocence of fraud charges.

The Spanish champion said in a statement Monday it had paid the amount to cover any "eventual interpretations that could come out of the contracts signed relating to the transfer of Neymar. Meanwhile, we are convinced of the legality of our initial fulfilment relating to our tax obligations."

Barcelona's actions raised the cost of Neymar's transfer to more than 100 million euros ($138 million). The Catalan club initially said it had paid 57.1 million euros ($74 million) for the Brazilian forward.

That sum does not include bonus payments from Barcelona or the 22-year-old's salary.