Nurković not their player, Royal AM claim

Royal AM say Samir Nurković never signed for them, according to the player’s lawyer.

The 30-year-old Serbian striker signed for Royal after being released by Kaizer Chiefs in July.

Since then, Royal have allegedly tried to discard Nurković as he has not kicked a ball in official competition due to a long-term injury. The forward has taken his case to Fifa’s Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC).

Speaking from Zagreb in Croatia, Nurković’s lawyer, Davor Lazić, told Marawa Sports Worldwide that Royal responded to the player’s allegation.

“We received a response from the club yesterday. However, because [we have just started with the case] I cannot disclose any details,” said Lazić.

“But generally what they [Royal] stated is they do not agree with the claims, and in a nutshell don’t even consider him the club’s player.

“So it’s a bit of a shifting of the story. First we heard that he was injured and on sick leave, and now he apparently never appeared there or was the club’s [player], and the contract [was] not concluded.

“From the players’ and our point of view it’s quite simple. He came, he signed a contract, he started training with Royal, he got injured, sidelined and eventually he didn’t get paid.

“We tried to warn the club, we sent a number of letters, and unfortunately we [came] to this position. There was no other solution for the player but to file his case before Fifa’s DRC.”

Lazić said that as Nurković turned out for Royal in the friendly Macufe Cup in September he “will be interested to see how Royal prove Nurković was not their player or at the club”.

Regarding media reports quoting club sources as saying Royal might simply pay Nurković out for his contract, Lavić said there had been no such proposal from the club.

However, he said Nurković’s representatives would be open to such a solution.

Royal general manager Richard Makhoba said the club would not comment on the issue as it was “sub judice”.