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Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln does not have to pay a commission for the transfer of striker Anthony Modeste 2017 to China. The district court of Cologne dismissed a claim of Petralito Sport Service GmbH against the Bundesliga bottom last on two million euros commission.
A financial claim for the mediation of the player to China does not exist, said the authority. "Our opinion has been clearly supported by the testimony and we are very glad that the court followed our position and dismissed the lawsuit," said Cologne CEO Alexander Wehrle in a club statement.
Modeste moved to China for a sum of between 30 and 35 million euros in 2017 and returned to Cologne in mid-November 2018. According to the district court, the verdict is not yet final, and the consultancy can appeal to the Higher Regional Court of Cologne within one month.
In January, the court had initially indicated in a first hearing that the consultant was entitled to a commission. At the beginning of October, the Italian World Champion Fabio Cannavaro was interviewed as a witness. From 2016 to 2017, he was with Modeste's later Chinese club Tianjin Trainer.
Cannavaro had testified that Giacomo Petralito "played a major role in the deal". The 21st Civil Division, however, was not convinced after the evidence that Petralito "has made a significant contribution to the transfer of the player Modeste".
Modestes China adventure was already accompanied by a number of legal disputes. On his return to Cologne he had initially received from Fifa no game clearance, as she saw no justification for his termination with Tianjin Tianhai. Modeste, on the other hand, saw "very clear reasons". In the end, they finally agreed.
