Alves wins case against AZ

Boro striker does not have to pay compensation over move

By Jeffrey Glorie   Last updated: 23rd July 2008

Afonso Alves Middlesbrough

Alves: Does not have to pay up

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Middlesbrough striker Afonso Alves does not have to pay AZ Alkmaar any compensation, an arbitration panel has ruled.

Alves joined Boro in a club record £12million deal from Heerenveen in January, having also been wanted by AZ.

The Eredivisie side were demanding a payment of 7.5million euros (£5.9million) from Alves after claiming the Brazilian had signed a pre-contract agreement to join them.

The Dutch FA had ruled in February that the contract did not mean that Heerenveen had to sell Alves to AZ, leaving the Alkmaar club to take the matter up with the player.

However, the judges on the arbitration panel have ruled that the contract that Alves signed with AZ is not valid as it does not contain the signature of his agent Wagner Ribeiro.

The panel deemed that AZ should have been aware that the contract also required the signature of Fifa-licensed agent Ribeiro in order to be valid.