Barcelona sue Neymar for breach of contract following €222m transfer to PSG

Barcelona have taken legal action against Neymar for failing to fulfil his contract following his €222m (£203.6,$261m) world-record transfer to Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar appeared to commit his long-term future to the Nou Camp club in October 2016 by putting pen to paper on a five-year deal until 2021. However, less than a year later the player decided to leave Barcelona by paying his release clause to move to the Ligue 1 side.

The La Liga giants now demand the Brazilian international return a loyalty bonus agreed when the Brazil international signed his contract as well as €8.5m in damages and an additional 10% for the arrears

"FC Barcelona has sent the Spanish Football Federation the labour lawsuit against Neymar Jr they submitted on 11 August at the Labour Tribunal in Barcelona so that they can pass it on to the appropriate authorities in the French Football Federation and FIFA," the club have announced through an official statement.

"In the lawsuit, the Club demands the player return the already paid sum for his contract renewal as he has not completed his contract; €8.5m in damages; and an additional 10% because of delayed payment. The Club also requests Paris Saint-Germain take on responsibility for the payment of these fees if the player cannot do so himself. FC Barcelona has started these proceedings to protect its interests following Neymar's contract termination just months after he signed a contract extension until 2021. This legal defence will be carried out following the established procedures with the competent authorities without entering into any verbal arguments with the player."

Barcelona and Neymar have been involved in a off-the-field battle since the player joined PSG on 3 August. The former Santos star has already been given a slice of the loyalty bonus amount which he is due after signing the new contract, though the Catalan giant have refused to pay the remainder of the fee which is thought to be around €26m. The club want that initial payment returned plus €8.5m in damages.

Earlier this month club president Josep Maria Bartomeu questioned Neymar's loyalty and announced that Barcelona had reported the transfer to Uefa amid suggestions that PSG could have broken the financial fair rules to sign the 25-year-old.

"Neymar is now history and he wanted to go. He could have been clearer before and the way things were done was not right," Bartomeu added. "There are ways to do things, no one can be bigger than the club and we have reported the move to UEFA."

"We are a club with 118 years of history, great players, over 140,000 members, it is ours... the members and not owned by a sheikh or an oligarch. The loyalty shown by Leo Messi or Andres Iniesta should be an example. Leo Messi continues to be the leader of this side."

Meanwhile, on weekend Neymar replied by hitting back at the Barcelona directors after scoring two goals during PSG's 6-1 win over Toulouse.

"I spent four beautiful years there and parted happy. But with them [the board], no," Neymar said. "For me, they are not the people who should be there, for the direction of Barca. Barca deserve much better."