Chelsea's £29.1m sale of Kurt Zouma to West Ham set for High Court hearing with agent demanding chunk of transfer fee nearly four years later

According to Daily Mail,Zouma's agent, Saif Rubie, is taking legal action against Chelsea, seeking a share of the £29.1 million ($36.5m) transfer fee that the club received when they sold the French defender to West Ham in 2021. Rubie’s lawsuit is directed at former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia and is set to be heard in the High Court.

Rubie asserts that despite his role in the deal, he has not been paid the agreed commission, which he argues is due under FIFA’s regulations. Under FIFA’s laws, an agent representing the selling club is entitled to up to 10% of the total transfer fee. In this case, Rubie believes he should receive nearly £3 million from the £29.1 million deal. Rubie initially brought the claim against both Chelsea and Granovskaia, but the club argued that any dispute should be resolved under the FA's Rule K, which governs arbitration for football-related claims.

The legal proceedings are complicated by changes at Chelsea, particularly Granovskaia’s departure from the club in 2022 following the takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital. Granovskaia had been a key figure in Chelsea's management during Roman Abramovich’s tenure. Since leaving her position, she is no longer considered an "FA participant," which is central to the ongoing legal dispute. Rubie’s legal team argues that this change in Granovskaia's status means that the case against her should remain within the court system rather than being moved to an FA arbitration panel.

Should the court rule in Rubie’s favour, it could force Granovskaia to disclose sensitive documents and details about Zouma’s transfer that remain confidential. The French centre-back has been loaned to Al-Orobah in the Saudi Pro League by the Hammers and will continue in the Middle East until the end of the campaign.