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."