During the transfer of Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal to Chelsea in the summer of 2023 for the sum of 37 million euros, a golden opportunity should have presented itself for Casa Sports, the Senegalese club where the player had played before joining the Europe. However, according to Romain Molina, an oversight by the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) deprived the Ziguinchor club of a significant sum.
Indeed, the journalist assures that the FSF failed to include Nicolas Jackson’s training team in its electronic passport, which prevented FIFA from granting Casa Sports the solidarity contribution, although legitimate. According to FIFA regulations, the solidarity contribution represents 5% of the total transfer compensation and must be paid to the clubs in which the player played between the ages of 12 and 23. In the case of Nicolas Jackson, this amount would amount to around 185,000 euros (or nearly 121 million CFA francs), a sum to which Casa Sports could claim. The player had in fact spent a full season with the club between 2018 and 2019.
The problem is not limited to Casa Sports. ASC Tilène, Nicolas Jackson’s first club in Senegal, could also have received a similar sum if the club had correctly registered the player for the 2017/2018 season. The situation is all the more complicated by a previous transfer of Nicolas Jackson to Villarreal, which had already raised questions. Indeed, his departure was marked by questionable maneuvers, notably an official transfer to a small Gambian club, Gambinos, before joining Villarreal a few weeks later.
In an official letter from the FIFA Clearing House, dated January 7, Casa Sports’ request was rejected due to the FSF’s oversight. This situation highlights a dysfunction which could cost other African clubs dearly. Although Seydou Sané, president of Casa Sports and member of the FSF executive committee, could potentially file a complaint, the Senegalese federation has not yet commented on this matter according to Romain Molina.
