Eleven Italian clubs, including Juventus, Naples and three other Serie A teams, have been referred to sports justice for alleged accounting fraud during certain player transfers, the peninsula’s Football Federation announced on Friday.
The clubs concerned are accused of having “recorded capital gains and transfer rights for values higher than those authorized” to obtain the national license, according to the statement of the Federation.
In addition to Juventus and Naples, the other three elite clubs are Sampdoria, Genoa and Empoli. The measure also targets two Serie B clubs (Parma and Pisa), two Lega Pro clubs (3rd division, Pescara and Pro Vercelli) and two that no longer exist, Novara and Chievo Verona, the FIGC said.
The clubs concerned mainly risk a fine. Around sixty natural persons – managers and representatives – are also referred. They face penalties that can go as far as suspension.
In addition to this investigation within the purview of the disciplinary bodies of the Federation, Juventus has been targeted since November by an investigation by the Italian courts into the subject of capital gains made between 2019 and 2021.
Italy’s most successful club is suspected of giving false information to investors and producing invoices for non-existent transactions, according to the Turin prosecutor’s office. Several of its leaders, including President Andrea Agnelli, are directly targeted.
Many observers have been pointing out for years the abuse of a legal practice on the transfer market, aimed at carrying out “fake trades” between two clubs, i.e. cross-sales of players, sometimes overvalued.
This makes it possible to limit the volume of money actually paid on both sides while allowing immediate recognition of any capital gains to boost financial performance.
Juve is also suspected of having concluded private salary agreements with certain footballers, which have not been communicated to investors. Several players have recently been auditioned, including Paulo Dybala or Federico Bernardeschi. On Friday, investigators heard from the mother and agent of Adrien Rabiot, according to several Italian media.
Regarding Naples, the main case examined by sports justice concerns the transfer of Nigerian Victor Osimhen from Lille in 2020, according to the daily Il Mattino. Napoli had indeed sold four unknown players to the French club at the same time, for an overall amount deemed by the press to bear little relation to the value of the interested parties.
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