Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergei Palkin has warned Tottenham Hotspur against trying to sign attacker Manor Solomon for free this summer.
Solomon spent last season on loan at Fulham after suspending his contract with the Ukrainian club due to the ongoing attacks from Russia.
The 23-year-old can sign for any club on a free transfer. Tottenham are in the race to secure his services, but Palkin is against it.
Palkin is unhappy with FIFA’s decision to amend Annex 7 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players after the outbreak of war.
The regulation change allowed foreign nationals employed in either country to unilaterally suspend their contracts if they wished to leave the region.
Solomon suspended his deal and joined Fulham last season. The winger still has a year remaining on his Shakhtar contract but is reportedly looking for another club in England.
FIFA announced that they would extend Annex 7 to 2024. This decision prompted a furious backlash from several clubs. They believe it is an unfair ruling as they lose revenue from transfer fees.
Shakhtar claim Annex 7 has cost them up to €80 million in lost transfer revenue as profitable assets like Solomon left for nothing.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld FIFA’s original decision. However, Shakhtar want to go to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
They have also appealed to the European Commission. Palkin warned Spurs that he will sue them if they try to take advantage of Annex 7 to sign Solomon.
Palkin told ESPN: “I contacted Solomon and his agent and invited him back to our club.
I said, ‘You can play all the games in the Champions League, and you will be in the starting eleven,’ but he doesn’t want to move, and I believe he will stay in England.
“Finally, where he will go, I don’t know. In any case, if you go to Tottenham, we will deal with Tottenham in court in this case. Everything comes to a simple situation: it sounds like unjust enrichment.
“Can you imagine? We pay big money for this player, and finally, Tottenham receives him for free? It is not fair in respect of our club. We will definitely go to court, and we will fight for ourselves.”
Palkin extended the warning to other clubs trying to sign Shakhtar players using Annex 7.
