Manchester City's signing of teenager Jeremy Helan from Stade Rennais in 2008 is being investigated by Fifa, but the Premier League club have released a statement today denying inducing the player to breach his contract with the French club. Fifa said today: "There is a case pending with Fifa's Player Status Department involving Jeremy Helan, Stade Rennais FC and Manchester City." The Eastlands club signed the 17-year-old defender from Rennes last year but the matter is now in the hands of Fifa, the game's governing body, who last week imposed severe sanctions on fellow Premier League club Chelsea for a similar offence involving another French youngster Gael Kakuta. Fifa banned the London club from signing any players for the next three transfer windows - effectively until January 2011 - and ordered Chelsea to pay £115,000 (Dh688,863) training compensation to Lens, and are liable for the £680,000 compensation sum ordered against Kakuta himself, who is banned from playing any games for four months. The club are appealing the decision. In a statement released by the club today, City said: "We are aware of the ongoing contractual dispute in the French Labour Courts between Jeremy Helan and Stade Rennais. The dispute between the player and the club pre-dates any interest from Manchester City. "Manchester City obviously cannot comment on the case until the French Judicial Process has run its course, however we are comfortable that we have acted within the rules throughout the process and in no way induced any breach of contract by Jeremy Helan."
sluckings@thenational.ae * With AP
