Tevez and mascherano to west ham??

[animal magic]

interesting read thanks

[Bob]

The suspicion is that MSI is being used as a front to buy players in order to keep them out of the hands of Chelsea’s big-money rivals. This also enables them to farm players out to the likes of Corinthians, where the London club can monitor their progress, safe in the knowledge that they have first shout on their futures if and when they see fit to take them to Stamford Bridge. In doing so, Chelsea are taking the concept of feeder clubs to a whole new level.

Doesn't account for the fact they were offered to Man U (on the word of David Gill). Too much bitterness surrounding this deal IMHO.

[Tom]

Doesn't account for the fact they were offered to Man U (on the word of David Gill). Too much bitterness surrounding this deal IMHO.

I disagree, it's not about west ham per se, but about the development of outside "corporations" part-owning and selling players as "abstract capital" independently of the clubs. Corinthians didn't want to sell the players but as they didn't own the contracts could do feck all about it.

The fact that in this particular example the main protoganists appear to be involved in some pretty shady business practices increases the concern. It appears Roman part-owns the company also.

[Bob]

There wasn't this furore when it happened on foreign soil long before now though - was there?

[Tom]

There wasn't this furore when it happened on foreign soil long before now though - was there?

Yes there was. There have been several articles this past year about MSI. I give you:

Thursday, January 13, 2005 :

FRONT | IRELAND | SPORT | WORLD | BUSINESS
Abramovich�s financial tentacles spread to South America


SPECULATION that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is spreading his financial interests in football to South America has resurfaced in the Russian billionaire�s homeland. Russia's independent daily business newspaper Kommersant this week reported that Abramovich was behind the E30 million transfer signings of Brazilian club Corinthians, echoing similar claims made before Christmas by Spanish sports daily AS that the Chelsea owner was an influential backer of the London-based group Media Sports Investment.

MSI belongs to Iranian-born businessman Kia Dzhurabchan and the investment vehicle financed the controversial E18m transfer of Argentine Olympic hero Carlos Tevez to Corinthians from Argentina's Boca Juniors.

Both AS and Kommersant reported that Abramovich was providing the financial muscle for MSI's involvement in Corinthians although Dzhurabchan categorically denied the Russian's involvement.

MSI financed the Tevez move as a bonus to Cornithians after it struck a 10-year deal with the club in 2004, which promised to pump in 26.5M cash, about 15m of which was to wipe out the club's debts. The Brazilians will hand over 51% of future profits to MSI in return.

It is not the first time Abramovich has been linked with football clubs other than Chelsea whom he has turned round from debt-ridden also-rans to Premiership leaders In September last year, UEFA

investigated his links with CSKA Moscow when the Russian club was drawn against Chelsea in the group stage of this season's Champions League. CSKA had in the previous March signed a sponsorship deal with the Russian oil company Sibneft, of which Abramovich is the former owner and still the majority shareholder.

UEFA ruled that Abramovich did not have a controlling interest in

CSKA but the relationship between the Muscovites and Chelsea fell under the spotlight again last week when Czech midfielder Jiri Jarosik completed a move from CSKA to Stamford Bridge on a two-and-a-half year deal.

There will be more intrigue, too, when CSKA forward Vagner Love leaves the Russian club during the transfer window and returns to his homeland of Brazil, having agreed terms with Corinthians. Vagner said he had agreed terms for a four-year contract with MSI.

[Bob]

I was referring to the pre-Abromovich era. As there was obviously a lot of jealously/bitterness immediately following his cash injection into Chelsea.

These company-funded South American player shenanigans have been going on in Italy for years. Little was said, though since there's some rotten money kicking around our league, now we're up in arms all of a sudden.

Smacks of a little hypocrisy to me.

[enema of the state]

For £1m each! To be honest, this should be investigated.

Imagine this as a scenario. Tevez and Mascherano are struggling to adapt to the pressures of the EPL, and Pardew wants to drop them - will he have the authority to do that? Or will somebody above him say that these two players simply have to play. If this happens, then surely Pardew isn't going to stand for it?!?

Investigated....this is BLATANT money laundering.

russian gangster has £50m or so lets say of dodgy crime proceeds which he wants to spend in the west but cant because hell have the authorieties on his case big style and everyone can see hes a gangster.
:

spend £20m in brazil - where the laws a little more "flexible", transfer the players to a second rate club but retain 99% equity in the dodgiest deal in the history of recorded time, sell them on 12 months later to the chavs, the scum or whoever for anything around £40m plus the pair and BINGO! youre a legitimate multimillionaire free to spend your money on legitimate property and business in london and elsewhere in western europe.

Do this on a grand enough scale and when your dodgy past catches up with you you can say "but i'm a legitimate businessman. look at all these people i employ who depend on me for their living...you cant send me back to russia to answer for all my crimes.. "

its just a pity that the uk legal system will be impotent against such a transparent piece of organised crime.

[Tom]

I was referring to the pre-Abromovich era. As there was obviously a lot of jealously/bitterness immediately following his cash injection into Chelsea.

These company-funded South American player shenanigans have been going on in Italy for years. Little was said, though since there's some rotten money kicking around our league, now we're up in arms all of a sudden.

Smacks of a little hypocrisy to me.

My reply to that is that two wrongs don't make a right.


I didn't know about the italian situation so can't comment on that. However the premiership has been caught in a pincer movement whereby a group of very wealthy and connected foreign business men (all with very murky pasts) have suddenly massively invested in a few clubs. I don't think that happened in Italy. In such terms this is a completely different kettle of fish.

[dirty_sanchez]

Right, ok, I still don't get the Portsmouth bit from that lengthy article. As far as I can see, the only links are that some people who are friends of Abramovich are involved.

[Tom]

Right, ok, I still don't get the Portsmouth bit from that lengthy article. As far as I can see, the only links are that some people who are friends of Abramovich are involved.

The link is:

Pini Zahavi

Super agent who brought Gaydamak junior and Portsmouth together, and also brokered the deal for Roman Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea and took Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United. Probably the world's best-known agent, and an influential source of players including Manuel Fernandes who recently failed a medical but is still at club hoping to pass a second check. Zahavi was popular in Israel until his involvement in the TV deal which took World Cup matches to a pay-per-view station.

[BobSkinstad]

To be honest, I am disgusted that the British authorities have no trouble with letting such dubious figures into the country. It appears they have no trouble with whether the money is kosher or not, as long as it keeps coming in in large amounts.

[dirty_sanchez]

The link is:

Pini Zahavi

Super agent who brought Gaydamak junior and Portsmouth together, and also brokered the deal for Roman Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea and took Rio Ferdinand to Manchester United. Probably the world's best-known agent, and an influential source of players including Manuel Fernandes who recently failed a medical but is still at club hoping to pass a second check. Zahavi was popular in Israel until his involvement in the TV deal which took World Cup matches to a pay-per-view station.

Ok, but I don't see how that really links Portsmouth to Chelsea. All he's really done is gone "hey, if you want to buy a club, try Portsmouth...". That's pretty much it. Ok, he brokered a deal for one player, but maybe that was because Pompey actually really wanted him? I think everyone is maybe being a bit cynical.

[BobSkinstad]

There's no real "link", as such, it's just that Portsmouth is equally crooked, since it is now a vehicle for laundering dirty money that comes from an arms dealer.

[red g]

Corinthians have said they wish they never got involved with MSI. Anyonw who doesnt think it stinks is ridulously niave

[Rich]

Was that Javier bloke taken to Corinthians by MSI?

Corinthians can't really complain about Tevez being taken away as he was given to them...