From Santos to chaos: The demise of a Barcelona president
ANALYSISBy Kris Voakes
It was one of the most protracted transfer deals in football history and the repercussions have continued to reverberate long after Neymar finally became a Barcelona player.
Now, following the resignation of Sandro Rosell as Barcelona president, the full truth behind the Brazilian's move to Camp Nou may finally be revealed.
Rosell's decision to step down following Thursday's Extraordinary General Meeting comes as just the latest twist in a saga which has been five years in the making.
Since Barcelona were first reported to be trailing the Santos star, all sorts of claims and counter-claims have been aired by interested parties.
Below,
Goal runs through the transfer from its earliest stages right through to Rosell's fall from grace.
| First sighting | Barcelona director Txiki Begiristain is spotted watching Neymar and Keirrison during a trip to Brazil, leading to early claims of a serious interest from theBlaugrana. |  |
| Keirrison loaned | Santos chief Paulo Jamelli denies a deal is already done for Neymar to join Barcelona following the one-year loan deal of Keirrison to the Blaugrana. |  |
| No chance | Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro claims that Neymar is "non-negotiable" and insists the striker will not be leaving the club. |  |
| Agent annoyed | Neymar's agent, Wagner Ribeiro, claims that Barcelona approached Neymar without his permission after gaining the right to negotiate a deal by Santos. |  |
| Madrid preferred | Neymar's father, Neymar Sr, claims that Real Madrid would be the best potential destination for his son amid persistent claims of a tussle betweenlos Blancos and Barcelona. |  |
| Permission sought | Neymar Sr says he will not negotiate with Barcelona over a move for his son without the permission of Santos. |  |
| Frustration | Barcelona are said to have become frustrated by Santos' decision to continue meeting with Real Madrid regarding a deal for Neymar despite having come to an agreement over an eventual transfer. |  |
| No agreement | Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro denies that Neymar has signed a contract with Real Madrid or Barcelona amid speculation talks are already advanced with one or both clubs. |  |
| New deal | Neymar signs a new contract with Santos which sees him collect a huge pay rise without the length of his terms extending beyond 2015. |  |
| Baby-sitting | Santos president Ribeiro says that Sandro Rosell has asked him to take care of Neymar until the Spanish giants are ready to make their move. |  |
| Deal denied | After Barca beat Santos 4-0 in the Club World Cup final, Neymar's father says the Blaugrana represent a "special option" but denies a €10m deal regarding a 2014 transfer. |  |
| World Cup wait | Santos release an official statement quashing rumours they have given Barca first refusal on Neymar, saying the player is staying "at least until the 2014 World Cup". |  |
| "Sold to many" | Neymar laughs off the talk he's signed a pre-contract deal with Barca by saying "I have been sold to different people since I was 10". |  |
| No contact | Neymar denies he met up with Barcelona after shooting a commercial in the Catalan city but says it is possible his father met representatives of the club at the Ballon d'Or Gala in Zurich. |  |
| Long-term stay? | Neymar talks up the possibility of him staying with Santos for the remainder of his career, saying it would be "a good gift to the club". |  |
| DIS not in charge | With speculation mounting regarding his economic rights, Neymar is forced to deny that DIS do not have the final call on any future transfer. |  |
| Messi to Santos! | After excitement builds over the chance Neymar could join Lionel Messi at Barca, the Brazilian claims they will only play together if the Argentine joins him at Santos. |  |
| Nearing departure | It finally appears that a transfer to Barcelona is nearing with Santos vice-president Odilio Rodriguez admitting that Neymar is ready to move to Europe in the summer. |  |
| Bids accepted | Santos finally admit defeat, confirming they have accepted two bids - believed to be from Barcelona and Real Madrid over the sale of Neymar. No fees are disclosed. |  |
| Deal confirmed | Both Barcelona and the player confirm that Neymar has agreed to put pen to paper on a five-year deal worth around €7m a year to the Brazilian. |  |
| €150m risk for Madrid | Florentino Perez reveals that Neymar would have cost Real Madrid €150m had they pursued a deal, saying they could have signed him three years previously but too many conditions were now involved. |  |
| "Heart won" | Neymar says his heart preferred Barcelona to Real Madrid, persuading him to join the Blaugrana over their Spanish rivals |  |
| €57m fee revealed | Barca vice-president Josep Bartomeu reveals that the Neymar transfer will cost the club €57m and says a buy-out clause has been set at €190m |  |
| €9m claim | Leaked minutes from a Santos board meeting suggest that the Brazilian outfit received only €9m of the €57m outlay on the transfer, leaving many questioning the deal's ethics |  |
| Neymar debut | The Brazilian's dream finally comes true as he dons the Barcelona shirt for the first time in a friendly against Lechia Gdansk |  |
| Judge examination | Barcelona are asked to hand over documentation relating to Neymar's transfer as the Spanish High Court investigate the commission fee of €40m |  |
| Rosell resigns | The Barca president quits after the club hold an Extraordinary General Meeting to discuss the allegations relating to impropriety within the Neymar deal. |  |
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