Is Barça in Trouble? The Tangle of Koundé's Transfer That No One Saw Coming

The football agent Isaac Tutumlu recently surprised FC Barcelona with a lawsuit for 3 million euros, claiming a 6% commission from the signing of Jules Koundé, who moved from Sevilla to the Catalan club in 2022. The agent is seeking compensation for his work as an intermediary in what was the seventh and final reinforcement of the summer market for the culés that year, following the signings of Andreas Christensen, Franck Kessié, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Marcos Alonso, and Héctor Bellerín.

Although Sevilla was reluctant to let the French international go, Barça eventually closed his transfer at the end of the summer market in 2022 for 50 million euros plus another 5 'kilos' in variables, signing him for five seasons, until June 2027. However, the agent claims that, without his management, it would have been much more difficult for the then sporting director of Sevilla, Ramón Rodríguez 'Monchi', to give the 'ok' for the sale of the Parisian to Barcelona, dismissing a higher offer from Chelsea.

The Details of Tutumlu's Lawsuit Against Barça

According to the document leaked by 'EFE' and 'El Confidencial', Tutumlu is seeking compensation "for the management and professional services he has carried out in compliance with the provisions of FIFA regulations". Furthermore, the agent claims to have held several meetings with the then sporting director of Barça, Mateu Alemany, president Joan Laporta, and former Barça coach, Xavi Hernández.

"I have emails and phone and WhatsApp conversations with him (Alemany), with Monchi, with Laporta, and even with Xavi that confirm there was an interest in the player and an agreement for me to do everything possible to bring him. These are proofs I have submitted to the lawsuit," adds the testimony leaked by both media outlets. Additionally, Tutumlu asserts that, in 2021, he had no issues collecting his respective commission for similar work in the signing of forward Luuk de Jong.