Youcef Belaili challenges MC Alger to produce contract in transfer dispute

Youcef Belaili has challenged MC Alger to publish the contract they claim he signed, as a dispute over the Algeria international’s future with Esperance Sportive de Tunis intensifies.

MC Alger announced that they had secured the 34-year-old winger’s signature, while Esperance said they had activated an existing agreement with Belaili and extended his stay for another season.

Responding to the Algerian club’s statement, Belaili told Algerian television channel El Heddaf: “If there is a contract that I signed with MC Alger, they should reveal it. Stop creating problems, otherwise I will disclose the messages and audio recordings I have.”

He added: “If you have a contract, let Djamel Benlamri present it. The contract held by MC Alger has expired.”

The player also said the legal process surrounding his suspension had influenced his decision over which club he would represent.

“My lawyer told me that I would play for the team that submitted its case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to have the punishment cancelled,” Belaili said.

“I told the president of MC Alger about that, and the response was: ‘May God make it easy for you.’ Esperance were the ones who submitted the case to the court and the punishment was cancelled the following day.”

MC Alger had earlier said they would not give up their rights in relation to Belaili’s proposed move from Esperance. Their announcement came only a few hours after the Tunisian club confirmed it had activated the contract Belaili had previously signed.

The contract was activated after Belaili completed a suspension that followed a complaint from French club AC Ajaccio. He had been suspended since March.

According to Tunisian media reports, Esperance renewed Belaili’s contract for one season after the suspension ended. MC Alger then issued their own announcement claiming they had obtained the signature of the Algeria winger.

The latest dispute adds another controversy to a difficult period in Belaili’s career. He has not played since November after suffering a cruciate ligament injury.

That injury also kept him out of Algeria’s squads for the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

Belaili made only 12 appearances in all competitions last season, scoring three goals and providing six assists. The figures came during a campaign disrupted by both injury and suspension, while the disagreement between MC Alger and Esperance has now left the legal status of his next move under scrutiny.