French Ligue 1
SWISS INDICT PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN BOSS, EX-FIFA NO. 2 JEROME VALCKE IN BRIBERY CASE
Paris Saint-Germain chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Fifa’s disgraced former secretary general Jerome Valcke have been indicted in Switzerland for alleged corruption in the attribution of football broadcasting rights.
The Swiss attorney general’s office (OAG) said in a statement on Thursday that the two had been charged “in connection with the award of media rights to various World Cup and Fifa Confederations Cup tournaments”.
A third, unnamed suspect in the case – described by Swiss prosecutors as “a businessman in the sports rights sector” – was also indicted, the statement said.
Al-Khelaifi, who is also the boss of Qatari television channel BeIN Sports, is suspected of giving inappropriate gifts to Valcke – including rent-free access to a luxury property – in order to secure broadcast rights to prestigious events, including the World Cup.
Valcke, formerly former Fifa boss Sepp Blatter’s right-hand man, is suspected of awarding those rights in exchange for bribes.
“The investigations revealed that Valcke had received undue advantages from both co-accused,” the OAG statement said.
It found that Valcke was refunded a down payment of around 500,000 euros (S$755,500) that he had made to a third party on the purchase of a villa in Sardinia, after Al-Khelaifi purchased the villa through a company instead of Valcke.
“Valcke then received from Al-Khelaifi the exclusive right to use the villa for a period of 18 months – until he was suspended by Fifa – without having to pay an estimated rent in between about 900,000 euros and about 1.8 million euros,” it said.
On the other hand, the OAG said that the suspicion that Valcke accepted a luxury watch from Al-Khelaifi “in return for exerting his influence as Secretary General of Fifa was not found to be substantiated”.
Al-Khelaifi was charged with “inciting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement,” the statement said.
The unnamed businessman meanwhile faced the same charge, and was also indicted for bribery after paying Valcke’s company Sportunited a total of 1.25 million euros.
“The charge of criminal mismanagement relates to the fact that Valcke had not reported the mentioned advantages that he received to Fifa, as he was required to do as its Secretary General, thus unlawfully enriching himself,” the statement said.
Valcke also stands accused of exploiting his position at Fifa between 2013 and 2015 to influence the award of media rights for Italy and Greece for various World Cup and other tournaments scheduled between 2018 and 2030 “in order to favour media partners that he preferred” in exchange for the payments from the unnamed businessman.
He has also been charged with falsifying documents, after Sportsunited’s balance sheet listed those payments as loans.
Valcke, who worked with Blatter from 2003-2015, has been banned from football for 10 years for failing to cooperate with investigators, the resale of World Cup tickets and inflated expenses.
-AFP
After Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi signed a contract extension with French Ligue 1 side, Paris Saint-Germain, he became the World’s most-paid fullback.
The Moroccan international will earn a staggering €70 million in wages over his new five-year deal, cementing his status as football’s highest-paid defender.
He signed a contract extension with the French champions until 2029. The new deal adds three years to his previous contract, which was set to expire in 2026.
His net salary is increasing from €10 million to €14 million per season (€28 million gross).
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The 2024 Ballon d’Or nominee and Super Eagles winger, Ademola Lookman, is almost certain to leave the Serie A in the coming winter transfer window following interest from Premiership but the biggest interest is from Paris Saint Germaine.
The AFCON 2024 silver medal winner with Nigeria has been on the radar of the London side, West Ham United and three other sides from the league but all is more certain that the London club will find it difficult to compete for the signature of Atalanta star according to Football Insider.
Reports have suggested that the Irons are ready to swoop for the Nigeria international in the January transfer window.
However, sources say there will be “huge interest” from Europe in the 27-year-old ex-Everton star.
Paris Saint-Germain will be the frontrunner for the forward if he becomes available in the coming months.
Additionally, Lookman plays in the same area of the pitch as West Ham’s big-money summer signings Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme.
The London-born has raised his stock with his displays for Atalanta since joining from RB Leipzig in 2022.
He finished 14th in the Ballon d’Or rankings this year after leading the Italian side to a Europa League title last term.
Lookman has already hit five goals and contributed five assists in 10 games across all competitions this term.
The forward, who is under contract until June 2026, hit 17 goals and notched 10 assists in 45 appearances last season.
West Ham are unlikely to have serious funds to spend in the January window after their lavish spending in the off-season.
Julen Lopetegui’s side started slowly and sat 13th in the Premier League after nine games.
Paris St Germain will take their wage dispute with Kylian Mbappe to court after the French football league’s governing body (LFP) ruled in favour of the France captain on Friday.
French media reported the 25-year-old, who has not commented on the dispute, is seeking around 55 million euros ($59.52 million) in salary and bonuses he says he is owed by the club.
The Ligue 1 champions, however, say Mbappe’s contract was “legally amended” and that he reneged on commitments when he left the club to join Spanish giants Real Madrid in the close season.
PSG said last month that Mbappe had refused an offer from the LFP to mediate on the issue.
The LFP’s National Joint Appeals Commission heard the parties on Oct. 15 and announced on Friday it had ruled in favour of Mbappe.
“The club must pay him the salary he is claiming. This decision is not subject to appeal, but may be referred to the FFF (French Football Federation) Executive Committee,” the LFP told Reuters.
However, PSG said they would be “forced to bring the case before the competent courts” while still trying to find an “amicable solution” with Mbappe, who became the French club’s all-time top scorer during his seven-year stay in the capital.
“What is in debate, and will ultimately be heard before an appropriate tribunal, is that the original contract was legally amended in August 2023 relating to the 2024-25 season, and also fully recognised by the player including in January 2024 – until the player then decided to renege all his commitments upon leaving the club,” a PSG spokesperson said.
“As a matter of law and fact, the player has made clear, repeated public and private commitments that the club simply asks are honoured, with the player being afforded unprecedented benefits by the club over seven years in Paris.
“The club hopes these basic commitments will simply be respected, knowing that the club will be forced to have the player’s bad faith judged by the competent courts if the player regrettably seeks to pursue this incomprehensibly damaging dispute, for himself and for French football, further.”
Mbappe’s representatives were not immediately available for comment.
In January, Mbappe had said he made an agreement with PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi which would “protect all parties and preserve the club’s serenity for the challenges ahead”.
-Reuters
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