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Liverpool And St Etienne Awaiting FIFA Decision On Nabil El Zhar Compensation
Les Verts demanding payment for youth product they lost...
| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.00 | Draw £34.00 | Liverpool £40.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.10 | Draw £32.00 | Liverpool £43.30 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.09 | Draw £35.00 | Liverpool £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.10 | Draw £34.00 | Liverpool £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Man Utd. £19.50 | Draw £35.50 | Liverpool £42.50 |
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Apr 2, 2010 8:50:00 PM
By Alex Dimond
Liverpool and French club St Etienne are holding their breath as they wait for FIFA's decision on the controversial transfer of Nabil El Zhar.
El Zhar signed a professional contract with Liverpool in 2006, after spending two years in the Ligue 1 club's youth academy.
Etienne initially received no payment for the player, and in 2008 went to FIFA with a demand for £162,000 in compensation for the resources they spent on training the player.
The game's governing body has now completed its review of the case, and a decision is to come soon.
"The investigation commenced in 2008," a FIFA spokesman told BBC Sport, who have been running an investigation into a row surrounding the plundering of French academies, this week.
"Investigation of the affair is now concluded."
Les Verts' sporting director, Damien Comolli, is disappointed that Liverpool have failed to pay any compensation for the young forward thus far, but is hopeful football's world governing body will rule in their favour.
"Given Liverpool's size, history and wealth we're disappointed we haven't received compensation - (£162,000) is 0.1% of Liverpool's turnover," Comolli told BBC Sport.
"On top of that the player has recently signed a new deal [in July 2009], so they must be happy with him and his performances."
Two years ago, Liverpool defended a similar claim from the French side for compensation based on El Zhar's breach of contract, which was reviewed by FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber in a case mirroring the transfer of Gael Kakuta from Lens to Chelsea in 2009.
Comolli is proud of Les Verts' youth academy, which costs around £3 million a year to run but has recouped around £25m in transfer fees in recent times. He hopes FIFA returns a verdict that encourages other clubs to put similar efforts into youth development.
"We've been producing an average of one-and-a-half first-team players per annum over the last five years and four of our current starters have come through the ranks," Comolli, who previously worked for Tottenham Hotspur, said.
"I am not a dreamer. A club cannot impose on a player to sign his first pro contract in the club where he signed his scholarship. Players can sign wherever they want due to the freedom of movement principle.
"But I would like to see a different compensation system organized by FIFA - a mix of the current system and of the English one.
"For example if a club signs a talented player they should pay a fixed amount, plus add-ons - £500,000 for 20 starts, another £500,000 for 40 starts and £1m for a full cap and a sell-on to be paid to us if the boy is sold.
"All those add-ons and the sell-on should be fixed by FIFA within the compensation system in order to avoid long and painful discussions.
"I think that would be a fairer system which will protect clubs who are developing players."
El Zhar has made just three appearances for Rafael Benitez's side this season, all of them coming from the substitutes' bench.
El Zhar signed a professional contract with Liverpool in 2006, after spending two years in the Ligue 1 club's youth academy.
Etienne initially received no payment for the player, and in 2008 went to FIFA with a demand for £162,000 in compensation for the resources they spent on training the player.
The game's governing body has now completed its review of the case, and a decision is to come soon.
"The investigation commenced in 2008," a FIFA spokesman told BBC Sport, who have been running an investigation into a row surrounding the plundering of French academies, this week.
"Investigation of the affair is now concluded."
Les Verts' sporting director, Damien Comolli, is disappointed that Liverpool have failed to pay any compensation for the young forward thus far, but is hopeful football's world governing body will rule in their favour.
"Given Liverpool's size, history and wealth we're disappointed we haven't received compensation - (£162,000) is 0.1% of Liverpool's turnover," Comolli told BBC Sport.
"On top of that the player has recently signed a new deal [in July 2009], so they must be happy with him and his performances."
Two years ago, Liverpool defended a similar claim from the French side for compensation based on El Zhar's breach of contract, which was reviewed by FIFA's Dispute Resolution Chamber in a case mirroring the transfer of Gael Kakuta from Lens to Chelsea in 2009.
Comolli is proud of Les Verts' youth academy, which costs around £3 million a year to run but has recouped around £25m in transfer fees in recent times. He hopes FIFA returns a verdict that encourages other clubs to put similar efforts into youth development.
"We've been producing an average of one-and-a-half first-team players per annum over the last five years and four of our current starters have come through the ranks," Comolli, who previously worked for Tottenham Hotspur, said.
"I am not a dreamer. A club cannot impose on a player to sign his first pro contract in the club where he signed his scholarship. Players can sign wherever they want due to the freedom of movement principle.
"But I would like to see a different compensation system organized by FIFA - a mix of the current system and of the English one.
"For example if a club signs a talented player they should pay a fixed amount, plus add-ons - £500,000 for 20 starts, another £500,000 for 40 starts and £1m for a full cap and a sell-on to be paid to us if the boy is sold.
"All those add-ons and the sell-on should be fixed by FIFA within the compensation system in order to avoid long and painful discussions.
"I think that would be a fairer system which will protect clubs who are developing players."
El Zhar has made just three appearances for Rafael Benitez's side this season, all of them coming from the substitutes' bench.
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