Spain's La Liga rejects payment of Neymar buyout clause

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Spain's La Liga on Thursday rejected payment of a record-breaking release clause that would allow Neymar to leave Barcelona for Paris St Germain, a source from the national soccer league said.

A group of lawyers representing Brazilian Neymar visited La Liga in Madrid on Thursday to try to settle the transfer and pay the 222-million-euro ($263 million US dollars) break fee.

Spanish lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo (C) leaves the Spanish Professional Football League "La Liga" headquarters in Madrid, August 3, 2017, after trying to deposit Neymar's buyout clause. /AFP Photo

It was not immediately clear whether La Liga's refusal to accept payment would put the brakes on the transfer.

PSG's president Nasser al-Khelaifi declined to comment when asked about the latest development.

Spain's Marca newspaper reported that Neymar and his advisers would turn to FIFA, world soccer's governing body, requesting a provisional transfer to PSG.

The striker's agent Wagner Ribeiro had said on Wednesday that the French club was ready to foot the bill so that Neymar could be presented at PSG at the weekend.

Neymar of Barcelona vies for the ball during the International Champions Cup football match at Hard Rock Stadium on July 29, 2017 in Miami, Florida. /AFP Photo

La Liga president, Javier Tebas, had already warned in an interview that Spain's league would not accept payment by PSG to trigger the release clause, saying it was potentially in breach of UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.

Under the rules, a club's wage bill must not exceed 70 percent of its revenue.

Journalists wait outside the Spanish Professional Football League "La Liga" headquarters in Madrid, after it rejects payment of Neymar buyout clause in Barcelona, Spain, August 3, 2017. /AFP Photo‍

UEFA, European football's governing body, told Reuters on Wednesday that had been no complaint received so far about PSG in this respect, adding that it would not block any potential deal in advance.

(Source: Reuters)