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ESPNsoccernet: Global |
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Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Boca call in AFA over contoversial Nayar deal
The Argentinian Football Association is to ask its Spanish counterpart to veto Recreativo Huelva's signing of Boca Juniors midfielder Sebastian Nayar because of a dispute over the player's contract.
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Recreativo announced on Wednesday that they had signed the
20-year-old to a four-year deal, claiming the player was unattached after the
expiry of his deal with Boca.
But that has brought an angry reaction from the Buenos Aires club, where club
president Pedro Pompilio insists he has a valid contract for the player and will
not allow him to leave.
Later on Wednesday, AFA president Julio Grondona announced that he has
contacted the president of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), Angel Maria
Villar, to ask him not to authorise the transfer.
'I talked to Villa, my colleague in Spain, and we sent a letter to disallow
the club to sign the player,' Grondona told the Ole newspaper. 'He can be
there and do whatever he wants, but we'll see if he plays.'
AFA secretary general Jose Luiz Meiszner gave a separate interview to Radio La
Red in which he claimed Villar had previously agreed that the deal should not go
though at the present time.
'Villar committed himself not to authorise any signing until this controversy
is sorted out,' he said.
A statement on Recre's website read: 'Sebastian
Nayar, midfielder formerly of Boca, has become a new member of the Recreativo
first team after negotiations between the two parties (Recre and the player)
reached an agreement in the past few hours.
'A deal has been completed to tie the player to the club for the next four
seasons. He will be presented in the next few days.'
The statement continued to explain Recreativo's version of events, claiming
that Boca had tried to keep hold of the player using a contract the Spanish club
claim is not valid.
'The player was wanted by his club of origin, with whom his contract ended on
June 30, and who tried to keep him using an extension which was in no way
valid.
'In the coming hours Recreativo will ask for the players rights to be
transferred from the AFA (Argentinian FA) so that the player can be registered
with the Spanish league.
'In the case of this being denied by the Argentinian club, we will ask for a
provisional transfer to be put through by FIFA.'
Under AFA regulations, when the contract of a player comes to an end, there is
an automatic two-year extension with the player receiving a 20% pay rise.
However, that rule does not appear in FIFA regulations.
In an interview with Argentinian TV station TyC Sports, Nayar said he believed
FIFA had approved the deal.
'The club and the Spanish Federation have already been told its okay by
FIFA,' he said. 'If Grondona wants to send a letter to the federation, we'll
see what happens.'
Pompilio has claimed to hold a contract tying Nayar to Boca until 2012.
However, Nayar denied that.
'I have never signed that,' he said. 'My contract finished on June 30 and I
gave Boca a lot of chances to retain me.'
'FIFA do not recognise the automatic two-year extension the AFA set after the
contract finishes.'
Nayar himself admitted that he was happy to have made the move to Spain, and
revealed that he had tried to leave Argentina in January but a loan to fellow
Argentinian side Newell's Old Boys and a transfer to Holland was blocked by his
club.
'I've taken the decision because I have an important opportunity,' he said.
'The train only passes once and when it comes along, you have to get on.
'In January, I had a chance to leave (to Newell's) and Boca did not let me.
'Then, an offer came up from the Netherlands and Boca put a US dollars six
million price tag on me. It's too much for a player who has played only one
senior game.'