Neymar to appear in court over alleged irregularities with Barcelona transfer

Another Barcelona player is being asked to stand in front of a judge in relation to financial shenanigans at the club.

Brazilian attacker Neymar has been ordered by Spain's national court to testify in an investigation into alleged irregularities that have long clouded his mysterious 2013 transfer to the Camp Nou from Santos.

Along with the lithe star, who is set to appear on Feb. 2, court documents note that Neymar's parents, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell, and current chief Josep Bartomeu will also testify.

From The Associated Press:

The national court last year rejected the request by Neymar and other defendants to throw out a probe into the irregularities. The court is looking into a complaint made by a Brazilian investment group which claims it was financially harmed when Barcelona and Neymar allegedly withheld the real amount of the player's transfer fee from Brazilian club Santos in 2013, in part to avoid paying the full amount of taxes.

Barcelona initially claimed the transfer fee was €57.1 million, but, following outside investigation that ultimately led to Rosell's resignation, the club admitted spending over €80 million to acquire the superstar.

As such, Brazilian investment company DIS - entitled to 40 percent of Neymar's transfer fee from Santos - filed a claim asserting it should've received more compensation for the deal.

A separate case in Madrid, related to Rosell's involvement in the transfer, is ongoing, while FIFA is also looking into an official complaint from Santos which claims that, prior to the transfer, Neymar and his father began negotiations with the Blaugrana without the consent of the Brazilian club.

Judges in Brazil are also investigating the transfer.

The parties accused of committing fraud, of course, continue to deny any wrongdoing.

This case is far from the only legal issue at the Camp Nou, however. Neymar has already been dealing with allegations of tax evasion in his native Brazil, and the 23-year-old had his assets frozen last year. Lionel Messi and his father, meanwhile, are due to stand trial for three counts of tax fraud. A date is expected to be announced this week.

Defender Javier Mascherano has already admitted to tax evasion, conceding last year he did not pay nearly €1.5 million he owed in 2011 and 2012.