« Back

Football Leaks | Doyen Sports, Geoffrey Kondogbia & prostitutes

In part of the ongoing Football Leaks series, Mediapart last night published a report documenting the tactics that investment fund specialising in football Doyen Sports used to attempt to convince clubs to pay French defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia’s release clause in the summer of 2013.

Doyen Sports bought 50% of the player’s rights in the summer of 2012, when FIFA regulations still permitted third party ownership in footballers. The following summer, Doyen Sports boss Nelio Lucas believes that following Kondogbia’s U20 World Cup victory, the time has come to convince a club to part with €20m to sign him, the player’s release clause with Sevilla at the time.

The Portuguese businessman believed that the time was right on the 6th August 2013. He was in Miami at the same time as Real Madrid President Florentino Perez, who he though he could convince. How did he intend on doing so? By throwing a party with prostitutes, according to WhatsApp messages uncovered by the Football Leaks investigation. What was his trump card? Throwing the party in a 650 square metre luxury apartment.

Mediapart has published a series of WhatsApp conversations between Lucas and one of his associates, a man named Arif Efendi which further detail Doyen Sports’ method of doing business.

One particular WhatsApp between Efendi and Lucas from the 6th August 2013 read as follows:

“I’m in Miami. Yesterday was crazy. I brought out some presidents and even Florentino came. Very funny. He removed his tie and danced.”

When contacted by the media outlet in question, Real Madrid Florentino Perez denied attending the party alluded to in the report.