Brighton fined for FA breach
BRIGHTON have been fined £366,600 by the FA for breaching agent regulations and misrepresenting financial transactions in relation to several transfers, including that of then-record signing Mat Ryan. The Australia goalkeeper joined from Valencia for £5.2million in 2017 and played a key role in keeping the Seagulls in the Premier League for four seasons, before joining Real Sociedad last year. But Brighton have been found guilty of misrepresenting Ryan’s transfer by breaching FA rule A3, which states clubs should not ‘conceal or misrepresent the reality and/or substance of any matters in relation to a transaction.’
The club’s head of recruitment Paul Winstanley has also been fined £6,400. The breach relates to Brighton’s use of player intermediaries. Ryan’s agent, former Middlesbrough striker Mikkel Beck, was registered on the paperwork as solely working for the club, when in reality he was also representing the player. This practice enables players to avoid paying tax on work carried out by their agents, but it is outlawed by the FA and Inland Revenue. Brighton were also found guilty of misrepresentation when they signed Israel midfielder Beram Kayal from Celtic in 2015. Brighton sources told Sportsmail they acted in good faith and reported the errors to the FA when they were discovered.