Aussie Amini left 'homeless' after $2 million deal with Turkish club falls through

Socceroos midfielder Mustafa Amini has been left stranded after a $2 million deal with Turkish Super Lig club Ankaragucu fell through at the last minute, according to a report.

Mustafa Amini

Source: Getty Images

The former Central Coast Mariner told News Corp Australia he will take the club "to the top of FIFA" after they backed out at the 11th hour, with Amini having packed up all his stuff and moved to Turkey. 

The 27-year-old had left Danish Superliga club AGF Arhaus, and was waiting to do a medical in a hotel when Ankaragucu refused to honour the contract. 

“It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe what’s happened. I wouldn’t wish this upon any football player,” Amini said.

“On the fifth of August, we got given a contract and we signed it, emailed it back and accepted the terms and everything was done.

“Ten days later, we get a call saying ‘sorry, the deal’s not there anymore’. When I heard that my heart just stopped.

“They can’t get away with this.

“I hope it goes all the way to the top of FIFA and they do get sanctioned and have to pay out the contract because they’ve literally left me jobless, clubless and homeless.

“To get slapped in the face like that is not right. I’ll be challenging them to go to FIFA because they’ve literally killed me in that way.”

Amini says he had interest from England, Germany, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. However, with leagues beginning to kick-off for the new season in Europe most of that interest has now dried up.

“My agent (former NSL player Buddy Farah) has returned to the other clubs that were asking about me, but of course they’ve looked at alternatives and signed new players.”

“We were looking at flights for them to just go home and let me stay here, but they can’t get home,” he said.

“The tickets have quadrupled in price and flight times are 60 hours plus. It’s ridiculous. It’s outrageous.

“We literally have no home. We’re Australian citizens and we can’t get home. It’s all messed up.

“We’re in a hotel, one room, with a five-month old. It’s tough. Mentally, it’s tough.”

Amini says he has been in touch with the Australian players union; the PFA. 

“They’re doing a great job and they have told me (Ankaragucu) are not going to get away with it,” Amini said.

“Look at the circumstances, the things they’ve done. I’ve sent them the contracts, they’ve said yes, it’s legit.

“You’ve signed, you’ve agreed. We’d accepted the terms, the salary.

“They should be sanctioned and I hope FIFA rules in the right favour, because this cannot happen to footballers.

“It’s about respect. It’s about a contract. If they get away with this, they can do it to another and it will just keep going on.”


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3 min read
Published 23 August 2020 9:45pm
Source: SBS The World Game


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