City stand accused as new transfer row erupts
Manchester City have become the latest English club to come under
scrutiny for their recruitment of young players after Rennes confirmed
they have reported the Premier League team to FIFA regarding the
signing of Jeremy Helan.
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Hughes: Leading Manchester City's revolution.
In
the wake of Chelsea's transfer ban, which prevents them from signing
players for the next two transfer windows, the process by which English
clubs recruit teenage talents from abroad is firmly in the spotlight.
Manchester
United have strenuously denied suggestions that they acted improperly
in signing Paul Pogba from Le Havre over the summer and now the conduct
of their near neighbours has also been called into question.
Rennes
claim that Helan, a defender who graduated from France's respected
Clairefontaine academy, had agreed a pre-contract with the French club
before moving to Eastlands in February and that there is a strong case
against Mark Hughes' side.
"Manchester City must now realise the
consequences of their attitude in the Helan case as it is even more
illegal than Kakuta," Dreossi told The Independent.
"We
have referred this to FIFA. For us it was strange to have no discussion
from City and now, in the week after the FIFA declaration on Chelsea, I
would hope that it will be the same thing for Manchester City.
"Kakuta
signed up for just a possibility of a full contract. For Helan there
was definitely one there, under the terms of the pre-contract
agreement, because he had played for his country.
"Manchester
United said it was not possible to negotiate with us but for City now
this is dangerous, though we are not expecting a decision from FIFA for
perhaps several years."