Transfer: Esperance still owing Rivers United $150,000 for Emem Eduok News

Navigation: Home / News / News / Transfer: Esperance still owing Rivers United $150,000 for Emem Eduok

Transfer: Esperance still owing Rivers United $150,000 for Emem Eduok

By Daily Sports on May 26, 2017

Esperance of Tunisia are still to pay Rivers United $150,000 being balance payment for the transfer fee of striker Emem Eduok, according to a scorenigeria.com.ng report.

Eduok has had spells at Akwa United before a switch to Dolphins who later metamorphosed to Rivers United at the close of the 2013/2014 domestic season.

He emerged the NPFL second highest goal scorer during the 2013/2014 league season with 20 goals, three strikes shy of record scorer Mfom Udoh of Enyimba.

He was first signed on by Norwegian side Sarpsborg 08, but a dispute forced the deal to be cancelled, allowing the forward to pen a deal with the Tunisian side for a fee thought to be in the region of $250, 000.

Esperance were understood to have paid an initial $100, 000 instalmental payment, leaving an outstanding balance of $150, 000.

The North African side later loaned the striker to Turkish Super League side Kasimpasa in 2016, where he has scored four goals in 27 appearances so far.

But it has been scooped that while Esperance are alleged to be claiming they are no longer indebted to the Nigerian counterparts as regards Eduok’s transfer fee, scorenigeria.com.ng has been informed the Tunisian club are owing them.

During the CAF Confederation Cup Group A match in Tunis 12 days ago, it was gathered through a source that Hamdi Meddeb, President of Esperance was claiming they had payed out Eduok’s transfer fee to Rivers United.

But Joe Johnson, General Manager of then Dolphins FC during whose tenue Emem Eduok was transferred to Esperance, has told scorenigeria.com.ng that as far as he was concerned, Esperance paid only $100, 000 during his tenure.

“I was the GM of Dolphins when Emem was transferred and to the best of my knowledge, they paid us an initial fee of 200, 000 Dinnars (Tunisian money) which is $100, 000 equivalent.

“But if they are now claiming to have paid all the agreed $250, 000, that I’m not aware of because I am no longer in the service of the club.

“In fact, I have left football completely in whatever capacity as I’m now fully into business”, Johnson explained.

However, incumbent General Manager of Rivers United, Okey Kpalukwu, denied knowledge of the Emem Eduok transfer matter, claiming he was not part of the team when the transaction was made.

“I don’t know anything about that. I was not part of the team, Dolphins, when Emem was sold to Esperance”, Kpalukwu said.

But Rivers United coach Stanley Eguma, insisted Esperance are owing ‘The Pride of Rivers’.

Eguma was coach of Dolphins when Emem Eduok was transferred to Esperance.

“What Esperance paid then was $100, 000 and as far as I know, they are yet to pay us the balance”, Eguma said.

Esperance have gone ahead to loan Emem Eduok to Kasimpasa. He has scored four goals in 27 appearances as Kasimpasa welcome Antalyaspor on Saturday May 27 at their 14, 234 capacity Recep Tayyip Erdogan Stadyumu, Istanbul.

The striker, who also plays as a winger, was part of the John Obuh led Flying Eagles squad to the 2013 FIFA U20 World Cup finals staged in Turkey.

Eduok made his Super Eagles debut against Taifa Stars of Tanzania in a 2017 AFCON qualifier.

*Photo shows Emem Eduok.

Source Daily Sports

Posted May 26, 2017