FIFA will not prosecture Manchester United for poaching in the case of Michele Fornasier, the Italian teenage defender recruited from Fiorentia this summer, according to the world governing body. Fornasier, 16, joined United from the Viola for no fee as he was not under contract but the Italian club complained to FIFA about the transfer.
The case is one of a number of high profile transfers involving Premier League clubs and teenagers from overseas. FIFA banned Chelsea from registering players for two transfer windows after being found guilty of poaching French teenager Gael Kakuta from Racing Lens.
“We can confirm that we were contacted by Fiorentina with regard to the potential transfer of the player, Michele Fornasier, to Manchester United,” a FIFA spokesman told the Telegraph.
“However, no formal investigation has been opened since the documentation currently in our possession, from a purely formal point of view, is not apt to sustain such action.”
French Ligue 2 club Le Harve has also complained that United poached teenage midfielder Paul Pogba this summer. Pogba, also 16, is similarly without a contract, although the French club maintains that he has a pre-contract agreement in place. Le Harve also complained that United had paid Pogba’s parents, which was strongly denied by the Old Trafford hierachy.
“So far, no contractual claim against the player Paul Pogba and/or the club Manchester United has been lodged by the French club, Le Havre, at FIFA,” a spokesman said.
“The matter we are currently investigating concerns the request for intervention submitted by the Football Association on behalf of its member club, Manchester United, in relation to the international clearance for the player in question, following the refusal of the French Football Federation to issue the international transfer certificate of the player.”
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