United issue threat over Pogba claims
MANCHESTER UNITED have threatened to take legal action against Le Havre if they continue to make allegations over the transfer of 16-year-old starlet Paul Pogba.
The French club have repeatedly claimed United threw money at Pogba’s family in order to entice him to Old Trafford.
The claims come just days after Premier League rivals Chelsea were handed an 18-month transfer ban by FIFA for inducing another French youngster, Gael Kakuta, from Lens.
FIFA say they have yet to receive a complaint from Le Havre but United chiefs are furious with the allegations and have written a strongly-worded letter to the Ligue 2 side asking them to stop.
“Manchester United is ready to defend any claim brought against it by Le Havre at FIFA,” the club said in a statement yesterday. “We have today written to Le Havre AC to put it on notice that action will be taken if such allegations are repeated in relation to the transfer of Paul Pogba.
“Manchester United is entirely satisfied that the transfer of Paul Pogba has been conducted in accordance with the regulations set down by the world governing body, Fifa.”
United decided to act after Le Havre president Jean-Pierre Louvel claimed the Old Trafford club were guilty of poaching the former French Under-16 captain, even though he had not signed professional forms.
He claimed: “They tempt the parents. It was fairly simple – €100,000 to the father, €100,000 for the mother, and a house. There was a legal agreement that he should not be poached.”
United’s response also came on the day when League Two side Crewe Alexandra reported an unnamed Premier League club for an alleged illegal approach to sign a 15-year-old from their academy.
Director of football Dario Gradi moaned: “It’s simple, the big clubs are stealing other people’s players.”