Sporting Lisbon have refused to take back Portuguese striker Yannick Djalo despite a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruling invalidating his recent transfer to Nice.
The Portuguese giants sold Djalo to the French first division side on the cusp of the summer transfer deadline on August 31, although it later transpired the deal was concluded too late.
Nice chairman Julien Fournier announced the following morning that Djalo, 25, was still contractually linked to Sporting until 2013 and that he would be returning to the club.
On Tuesday CAS ruled the transfer invalid, but Sporting are refusing to budge.
"He is no longer a Sporting player," said a club official, quoted by Record newspaper.
"The Yannick problem is now Nice's concern, so it's up to them to sort it. We signed a transfer agreement with Nice and we hope it will be respected."
A Bola newspaper said Sporting ended their collaboration with Djalo on August 30, and blamed the delay on negotiations between the player and Nice.
Source: AFP
