Football
ESPN staff 7y

Former Swansea boss Michael Laudrup denies profiting from transfers

Michael Laudrup has strongly denied claims he was dismissed as Swansea City manager due to irregular payments. 

Laudrup told BBC Wales Sport: "I have never received any payment or commission related to any player transfer in any of the clubs I have coached. Never."

The former Denmark star, who led Swansea to the first major trophy in their history when they won the 2013 League Cup, was sacked on Feb. 4 2014 and said at the time he was taking legal advice as the club "gave no reasons why such hasty and final action was deemed necessary." The League Managers Association (LMA) then wrote to the club to ask the reasons for the sacking.

El Mundo, using information taken from an article published on Danish newspaper Politiken, reported this week that the dismissal was due a conflict of interest, with his agent, Bayram Tutumlu, taking a €4.3 million cut from seven transfers made through him from 2012 to 2014.

The Daily Mail had reported in June 2013 that senior officials at the club felt Tutumlu had been "attempting to dictate and control the club's transfer policy for months," and the club cut its ties with the agent shortly afterwards.

El Mundo this week reported that on Feb. 13, 2014, a letter obtained by Football Leaks from an unnamed Swansea director to the LMA stated: "We believe that if BT [Bayram Tutumlu] was not involved in a player's transfer, ML [Michael Laudrup] would reject the signing. We continue to investigate."

However, Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins this week told BBC Wales Sport: "There were discussions with the LMA but that was done in the context of negotiating a settlement and it should be taken in that light. As far as we are concerned that is the end of the matter and we agreed a settlement and we move on."

Laudrup said he was happy that the club was not accusing him of wrongdoing.

"I have read that Swansea stated that they have not found anything that indicates that I have done something wrong or illegal regarding the player transfers in my period as a manager in the club," he said. "I knew that but it is a relief that the club confirms it."

Former Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid star Laudrup has been working in Qatar since leaving Swansea, first managing Lekhwiya and now Al-Rayyan.

^ Back to Top ^