The world football-governing body FIFA has stepped into the controversy caused by the decision of supporters of Dutch side Feyenoord to contribute Genk’s asking fee for their prized Nigerian forward, Cyriel Dessers.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, has banned Feyenoord from crowd-funding the €4 million transfer fee needed to acquire the services of Nigerian striker on permanent basis.
Dessers has spent the last eight months at Feyenoord on loan from Belgian side KRC Genk. But a clause in his temporary contract makes the Rotterdammers obliged to cough out €4 million before the end of the season to sign him on a permanent deal. But Feyenoord cannot put down such a large sum unless they sell another key player if the books are to remain balanced.
A section of the club’s supporters have, however, taken matters into their own hands and have already crowd-funded over €50,000 to help the Pride of the South seal the deal for their new hero at De Kuip.
A Dutch businessman and multimillionaire Dennis de Roo has even expressed the willingness to partner Feyenoord in providing the money for the deal in response to an encouraging statement credited to club manager Arne Slot.
But FIFA’s latest decision is expected to pour cold waters on Feyenoord’s unconventional sourcing means for Dessers’ transfer fee. According to respected Dutch publications VI, the football governing body frowns at the crowd-funding plans and has banned the move outrightly.
Dessers became the first man to hit double digits goals in the maiden edition of the Europa Conference League when he grabbed a brace to power Feyenoord to a 3-2 win over Olympique de Marseille.
