Calcio in the mire with Diamanti

  • by Staff Writer
  • Friday, 8th July 2011

West Ham United have requested that the Italian Football Federation suspend the registration of former player Alessandro Diamanti due to unpaid fees.

According to a statement released on whufc.com this afternoon, the club's request follows Diamanti's current club Brescia Calcio's failure to settle the latest instalment of the £2million transfer fee.

"Due to the failure of Brescia to pay the latest instalment, West Ham have asked the FIGC to suspend the player's registration and requested that the national association and FIFA impose sporting sanctions until the matter is resolved," it read.

The Italian arrived in east London two years ago next month amidst controversial circumstances when it was revealed that his transfer fee - said by Livorno Director of Sport Nelso Ricci to be £5.5million - was partly paid by club sponsors SBOBet.

After just 28 first team appearances - and seven goals - he was shipped out by new owners Davids Sullivan and Gold - no doubt as a result of the unusual circumstances surrounding his signing - in the 2010 summer transfer window, despite having been named the club's Best Signing 2009/10 by readers of KUMB.com.

In this year's KUMB.com reader's awards, Diamanti was voted as 'Most Missed Player', an award contested by those players who left the club during the previous 12 months.

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