"Rangers' debt to Rapid and United yet to be settled
Published on 16 August 2012
Quote:
“Phil Gordon
Rapid Vienna have voiced concerns over Rangers agreeing to settle football debts to Scottish clubs while they have yet to receive any indication they will be paid the £1m they are owed from the sale of Nikica Jelavic to Ibrox two years ago.
The Croatian striker joined Everton for £5.5m in January.
Dundee United have also confirmed that debts owed to the club by Rangers oldco have not yet been paid, contrary to claims from Charles Green, the newco club's chief executive. United have stated that money due from a Scottish Cup tie played at Ibrox last season has yet to be paid and outlined in a brief statement that the matter now rests with the Scottish football authorities.
Rangers say that the Scottish Premier League agreed to settle the debt and Green claimed that all debts owed to Scottish clubs by Rangers oldco have now been settled. However, the SPL maintains that the agreement was made with the previous company and is now void.
Among the debts owed to domestic clubs, Rangers had a bill of £800,000 oustanding to Hearts, Dunfermline Athletic demanded £83,370, Celtic were owed £40,337 and Inverness Caledonian Thistle £39,805. The report produced by administrators Duff & Phelps listed United as being owed £65,981, although it is understood that the amount is approximately half of that.
Rapid still await clarification on the money they are seeking after selling Jelavic to Rangers two years ago for £4m. The Austrians have raised the issue with FIFA following reports that Rangers were settling the football debts of the oldco but noted that Green has not clarified the status of foreign and English creditors. Rangers have 15 days to pay Rapid or face potential punishment from FIFA.
"We have had no direct contact from anyone at Ibrox," said Peter Klinglmuller, Rapid's director of communications, yesterday. "We have to be treated fairly over this. The last instalment of Jelavic's transfer fee has to be paid by the end of August. There is still time for the money to be paid. The Rapid board left the matter in the hands of British lawyers.
"The new owner at Rangers has said that it is important that every football debt is paid and we want that to be done for us now, especially as Jelavic is now with Everton."
Rapid are owed £1,011,733 for selling the Croat and they understand that Green is pursuing the remainder of the £5.5m they received from the sale to Everton, even though the deal was negotiated by the oldco. It is that which has compelled the Austrians to continue request the money they are owed.
A further knock-on effect is that Rapid owe Jelavic's previous side, Zulte-Waregem in Belgium, €325,000 as part of a sell-on clause. "About €890,000 [would] remain with us; the rest is passed on to Waregem," said Stefan Ebener, Rapid's sports manager. "€890,000 is not a big sum for Rangers but, for Rapid, it's about 5% of our annual revenue, and the money is planned for."
Other European and English clubs that are owed money by Rangers include French side St Etienne (£252,212.39); Chelsea (£238,345.43); Palermo in Italy (£205,513.04); Manchester City (£328,248); Orebro in Sweden (£150,000), while Arsenal are owed £136,560. If Rapid succeed in their fight for the money they are owed, it could lead to Green facing further claims from other clubs."”
