38 Pape Gueye
Watford caught up in contract dispute over French midfielder
Watford were probably feeling pretty pleased with themselves on Wednesday April 29, having just announced the signing of French Under-19 international Pape Gueye on a five-year deal. Already captain of Ligue 2 side Le Havre, the 21-year-old’s contract with the club where he’d spent the previous eight years was due to expire, and he’d been free to negotiate with other parties since January.
So far, so normal. Two days later, though, on Friday May1, word started coming out of France that something was amiss. A French lawyer, Pierre-Henri Bovis, claimed that he was representing the player’s interests and announced in the French sports press that while it was true that Gueye had signed a pre-contract with Watford back in January, he had now uncovered “possible irregularities”. These irregularities, claimed Bovis, were related to the timing of negotiations between the two parties. “The player was free to sign a contract from January1, 2020, but he was not free to enter into discussions in the preceding months. We have uncovered certain elements that could suggest discussions with Watford took place before January1.”
These original negotiations had been conducted by Gueye’s former agent, Bakary Sanogo. The player had sacked the family friend sometime around the end of March, voicing concerns that Sanogo had been acting more in his own interests during the negotiations with Watford than in those of the player.
The plot thickened further when rumours emerged that Gueye had not only signed a pre-contract with Watford on January15 (which was legal), but had also signed two other pre-contracts, one with an Italian side, and one with a Spanish side. Apparently, though, both had been inked pre-January, which meant they were therefore illegal and invalid. Another story in the French press suggested that Gueye had undergone a medical for Watford back in June of 2019 in Udine in Italy. Medical and hotel bills were allegedly picked up by local club Udinese, who happen to have the same owners as Watford: the Pozzo family. This would have been against FIFA regulations.
For his part Gueye made no comment until June14, when he finally released a statement to French sports paper L’Équipe, first confirming that he would leave Le Havre this summer. In addition, he stated that given the “irregularities” in the contract with Watford, and considering that the contract had not yet come into effect, “I hereby give notice that this is the end of any contractual link to Watford.”
Of course, all these machinations alerted a number of other clubs to the possibility of being able to bag Gueye for themselves. Sources close to the player claimed his preferred option was to stay in France and play in Ligue 1 for “two or three years, before leaving to go abroad.” The same sources also claimed that Marseille, Metz, Strasbourg, Angers and Nantes were interested in obtaining Gueye’s signature. Finally, after passing a medical on Tuesday June 30, Gueye opted to sign a four-year contract with Marseille, where he’ll wear the No.22 shirt. “I’ve dreamed of playing for this club since I was a little kid,” said Gueye
“We have uncovered certain elements that could suggest discussions with Watford took place before January 1” Pierre-Henri Bovis, lawyer
after inking his contract. “I’m really happy to have made it here.”
Describing his style as “my attempt to mix the technique of Paul Pogba and the ball-winning capabilities of N’Golo Kante,” Gueye isn’t short of confidence in his own abilities. The fact that Marseille will be competing in the 2020-21 Champions League will give him ample chance to show whether he can live up to his own hype.
Gueye’s rumoured salary on the French south coast is between
€ 30,000 and € 45,000 per month, which is similar to what his “noncontract” at Watford was believed to be worth. Given that the player was out of contract with Le Havre, Marseille believe that no transfer fee will be paid. Under the circumstances though, it seems likely that Watford will make a move to claim damages from Marseille over a player they thought they’d signed, but who finally slipped through their fingers.