Arsenal may appeal over agent fine
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Your support makes all the difference.Arsenal are to consider launching an appeal after being found guilty of dealing with an unregistered agent by the Football Association.
Arsenal are to consider launching an appeal after being found guilty of dealing with an unregistered agent by the Football Association.
The Premiership champions were fined £10,000 and given a suspended transfer ban for negotiating with an unlicensed individual from the Dutch company Foursports. The negotiations concerned Quincy Owusu-Abeyie, who was elevated from a scholarship to professional terms at Highbury, and did not concern transfer dealings with another club.
Arsenal admitted to paying the company, which is listed on the official Fifa website, an agent's fee of £2,000 via the FA, but feel their transparency in the matter has been punished by the governing body.
"It is important to note that the player was already a scholar registered with Arsenal and that the negotiations were not in relation to a transfer," a club spokesman said. "The player's representative is a partner in a company run by a Fifa-licensed agent, with whom the initial discussions were held. Arsenal mistakenly also believed that the representative was a licensed players' agent. The agent's fee of £2,000 was paid by Arsenal to the company through the FA.
"The incident was at worst a technical misdemeanour of administration and the club is contemplating an appeal, as it feels the penalty is disproportionate to any offence which may have been committed."
The FA warned the club about future conduct and the suspended transfer ban will last for two years from 1 February.
Arsenal announced that Jermaine Pennant will go on loan to Birmingham for the rest of the season.
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