Soccer

Barcelona suing departed Neymar for $10M bonus

Barcelona is suing Neymar for the $10 million US bonus it paid the Brazil striker for signing a contract he later broke to join Paris Saint-Germain on a world-record transfer.

Striker's former club says Brazilian forfeits money because he 'broke contract' to join PSG

Brazilian forward Neymar is being sued his former Barcelona club for a 2016 bonus it wants repaid. (Thomas Samson/AFP/Getty Images)

Barcelona is suing Neymar for the $10 million US bonus it paid the Brazil striker for signing a contract he later broke to join Paris Saint-Germain on a world-record transfer.

Barcelona said on Tuesday that it wants Neymar to pay back the bonus for a contract in Oct. 2016 that tied him to the club through 2021. It also wants an additional 10 per cent interest.

Neymar was able to leave Barcelona earlier this month after PSG paid $262 million to trigger a release clause included in his contract.

Barcelona said in a statement that it "has taken these actions in defence of its interests after the unilateral breaking of the contract carried out by Neymar just a few months after having signed his renewal."

The club is also demanding that PSG pay the money, if Neymar is unable to do so.

Barcelona said the suit was filed on Aug. 11.