FC Nantes, led by Togolese Serge Gakpé, has been dealt a severe blow as FIFA’s ban on recruiting players has been upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). This means the club is prohibited from participating in the transfer market until the end of January 2015.
In addition to the transfer ban, FC Nantes has been ordered to pay a hefty fine of 4.5 million euros to Al Nasr. This financial burden is particularly challenging for the club, which operates within limited financial constraints.
The origin of this predicament dates back to January 2012 when FC Nantes signed Guinean striker Ismaël Bangoura under the assumption that he was a free agent. However, it was later revealed that Bangoura still had contractual obligations with Al Nasr, despite being deregistered from their squad due to foreign player quotas. This led to a legal dispute between the clubs, resulting in FIFA’s sanctions against FC Nantes.
The repercussions of this decision are significant for FC Nantes, especially considering Bangoura’s underwhelming performance since joining the club, having scored only three goals in 21 appearances. This ruling presents a considerable challenge for FC Nantes as they navigate through this difficult period without the ability to strengthen their squad through transfers.
