Marcos Rojo to Manchester United: Defender embroiled in legal row as United's '£15m bid' triggers row with management company
Doyen Sports own 75% of Rojo and claim they are owed over £11m if Sporting Lisbon have rejected the reported offer as Rojo refuses to train with the club
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Manchester United’s reported £15m bid for Argentina defender Marcos Rojo has caused a storm that threatens to boil over after the player’s representatives and part-owners clashed with officials at his current club Sporting Lisbon.
United are believed to be keen on the 24-year-old defender as Louis van Gaal looks to continue his squad rebuilding process, but the interest has led to a row breaking out over the Argentina international – who is refusing to train with the Portuguese club.
Rojo faces disciplinary action from his club after he allegedly refused to train with the rest of the squad having returned from his post-World Cup holiday, yet his management company Doyen Sports is threatening legal action if they are not paid a sum of money that they feel they are owed.
Doyen Sports own 75 per cent of Rojom and its alleged that they are due 75 per cent of any rejected fee to be paid by Sporting, which would equate to £11.25m if United’s reported bid is of £15m.
The company released a statement in which they expressed their position not to interfere with any of Sporting’s transfer dealing, and stated that the club has the right to reject any offers made and retain the services of any player. However, they also made it clear that in doing so, the club must meet certain contractual obligations that are in place with the company.
It read: "Sporting is entirely within its rights not to transfer the player Marcos Rojo, knowing that it only has to make up for the fund under the terms and deadlines as contractually established since the beginning."
Doyen Sports added that the company "will not hesitate to use all legal resources at our disposal to defend fully all our interests and rights".
Having shelled out 75 per cent of Rojo’s transfer fee from Spartak Moscow to bring him to Sporting, Doyen Sports also included in the statement: "Without the intervention of Doyen, through financing, Marcos Rojo would not be a Sporting player."
The Portuguese club are believed to be holding out for around £24m – where a bid would activate his release clause – while should an offer be accepted, negotiations would become even more convoluted than they already are. Sporting confirmed that 20 per cent of any agreed fee over £4m is owed to Spartak Moscow as part of the original move.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments