PSG owner sues over illegal transfer payment claim

PSG owner sues over illegal transfer payment claim

Nasser Al-Khelaifi is suing French online site Mediapart, British newspaper The Guardian and German daily Der Spiegel for their accusations.

Paris Saint-Germain’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi during a press conference to announce a new shirt sponsorship deal with the French multinational Accor at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on Feb 22, 2019. (AFP pic) 
PARIS:
Paris Saint-Germain owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi is suing three media outlets over an article suggesting he requested an illegal payment be made to an agent involved in Javier Pastore’s transfer from Palermo in 2011.

Al-Khelaifi’s lawyers issued a statement Tuesday announcing the action against French online site Mediapart, British newspaper The Guardian and German daily Der Spiegel.

The outlets are accused of not allowing Al-Khelaifi a chance to reply fully to their questions by refusing to give him a copy of a letter at the source of the article.

Al-Khelaifi’s lawyers say they wrote to the three publications casting doubt on the authenticity of this letter, and asked to see it to prove the point.

According to Mediapart, the letter is from Al-Khelaifi to the chief of staff to the emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani asking for two million euros (US$224 million) for Pastore’s agent.

A further US$200,000 was sought for a private company run by his brother.

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