Court dismisses agent’s €3 million claim against Barcelona over defender’s transfer | OneFootball

According to SPORT, a court in Barcelona has dismissed a €3 million claim filed by FIFA agent Isaac Tutumlu against FC Barcelona concerning his alleged involvement in the transfer of Jules Kounde in 2022.

The French international, currently sidelined with an injury, joined the Blaugrana from Sevilla in a deal worth €50 million plus add-ons.

What was Tutumlu’s complaint?

Tutumlu sought compensation for his role in facilitating Kounde’s move to the Spotify Camp Nou nearly four years ago. He argued that he played a key part in the negotiations but was not remunerated for his work.

The agent, who had previously been involved in the loan move of Luuk de Jong to Barça in the summer of 2021, claimed that his intervention was decisive in preventing Kounde from joining Chelsea, who were also interested in signing the defender.

Barcelona ultimately paid a fixed fee of €50 million, plus an additional €5 million in variables, for the transfer.

Kounde joined Barcelona in 2022. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

As part of his claim, Tutumlu submitted emails and WhatsApp messages with several key figures.

These included Ramon Planes, then technical secretary at Barcelona, Mateu Alemany, the club’s director of football, Monchi, director of Sevilla, Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona’s head coach at the time, and even club president Joan Laporta.

However, the ruling concluded that there was no evidence of “tacit acceptance or tacit consent by the defendant club” regarding Tutumlu’s involvement in the operation. On that basis, the court rejected the claim.

Tutumlu has confirmed that he will appeal the decision.

He maintains that the ruling overlooks the evidence presented, including communications that he believes demonstrate his role in the transfer, as well as alleged inconsistencies in testimonies provided by witnesses associated with Barcelona.