Osun United FC says the €10,000 it got after Odion Ighalo completed a transfer to Manchester United last January was kept with the Osun State Ministry of Sports.
Spokesman of the club Tajudeen Amodu stated this on Thursday.
Ighalo played for Osogbo-based Osun United formerly known as Prime FC before moving abroad to join Norwegian side Lyn Oslo in 2007. Osun United got €10,000 after Ighalo moved to United from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.
The money was allegedly diverted into private accounts.
However, Mr Amodu said : “The money is being kept by the Ministry of Sports. You can quote me. I have been questioned on this by some officials, but I stand by my claim. The ministry has the money in their custody.”
Under FIFA rules, if a professional footballer transfers to another club during the course of a contract, five per cent of any transfer fee shall be deducted from the total amount of the transfer fee and distributed by the new club as a solidarity contribution to the club(s) involved in his training and education over the years.
The Osun State House of Assembly is probing how the money was spent.
The Commissioner for Sports Yemi Lawal was among those invited to a meeting at the assembly last week over the issue.
Chairman, House Committee on Sports Adrullahi Adegbile presided over the meeting which had in attendance officials of Osun United led by the club secretary Kabiru Adekunle and the acting general manager of Osun State Sports Council Rotimi Oludunmoye.
“When we got the information, we invited all the parties. After thorough investigation into the issue, I assure you, we will make our findings public. We will still invite them this week,” Adegbile said.
