Chelsea face legal battle with cat-kick star’s agent

Robin Bairner

21 Sept 2024 10:10 BST
2 min read

Chelsea are attempting to have a multi-million pound lawsuit filed against them by agent Saif Alrubie thrown out of court, according to a report.

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The Telegraph states that Chelsea are embroiled in legal proceedings with the agent of former centre-back Kurt Zouma, who was infamously involved in a cat-kicking incident while on the books of West Ham that resulted in him pleading guilty to two counts under the Animal Welfare Act.

Alrubie’s battle with the Blues, however, surrounds a claim relating to the club and former director Marina Granovskaia.

It is reported that Chelsea believe the claim has been filed incorrectly and are seeking an arbitration process instead of one that will be played out in the courts.

Alrubie has released a statement via a spokesperson: “Chelsea and Ms Granovskaia have a clear interest in preventing [Alrubie’s] claim from being heard in open court given current investigations into the club and its activities under its previous ownership.”

Alrubie added: “The last two-and-a-half years have been incredibly difficult. As a fan of Chelsea FC, and having had a productive business relationship with the club over a number of years, I am saddened that I have been forced to take this step.

“It’s my sincere hope that we will be able to reach a resolution to this issue that is long overdue. I am hopeful that Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali, and Chelsea FC will take the action necessary to right this wrong and close this chapter so that all parties can move on.”

Chelsea face big bill

Initially, he believed that he was due fees of around £300,000 relating to the sale of Zouma to West Ham in 2021 but he now believes he is owed “10 times” this amount.

“The £300,000 was actually an amount that I was willing to accept when I didn’t know all of the facts and the truth of the transfer fee was hidden away from me,” the agent told TalkSport.

Granovskaia has not commented on Alrubie’s claims.