Leeds United are yet to pay solidarity payments owed to three clubs in Germany for the transfer of Robin Koch this summer.
That’s according to Trierische Volksfreund and Der Betze Brennt, who report Marcelo Bielsa’s side are avoiding claims from Eintracht Trier, SC Dörbach and 1.FC Kaiserslautern for the money they are owed.
Koch joined Leeds from SC Freiburg in an £11.7m deal in the summer, with the newly-promoted side adding him to their ranks to replace Ben White, who had returned to Brighton.
As part of FIFA’s solidarity contribution rules, that means that several of his former clubs should have received payments, having trained and developed Koch at some point between ages 12 and 23.
However, Trierische Volksfreund report that Moselle clubs Eintracht Trier and SC Dörbach are yet to receive the money they are owed, despite repeated attempts to get it.
Koch played for Dörbach’s youth side at the beginning of his career and spent five years at Trier rising through the ranks to their first team before joining 1.FC Kaiserslautern II in 2016.
Thus, both clubs are owed money as part of the solidarity fund, with it explained Dörbach were set to pocket €32,000, which could have been used to pay for new floodlights. Eintracht Trier are owed €290,000.
Der Betze Brennt add 1.FC Kaiserslautern into the mix, saying their information has revealed the German side are owed €130,000, or one per cent of his reported €13m transfer.
They sent the club the ‘associated bill’ last year following the transfer but Leeds ‘still have not paid’.
That is a problem the other two clubs have encountered too, with it reported that they have already ‘called a lawyer’ and ‘sent reminders’ to Leeds that the debt is still owed.
This is not the first time Leeds have been involved in such a situation either.
The club are still engaged in legal proceedings with RB Leipzig over the deal for Jean-Kevin Augustin, having refused to pay a €21m clause inserted in his loan deal last year.
That is money the Bundesliga side continue to chase, with Leeds insisting they don’t owe it and the case set to be seen by FIFA later this year.
