Stevens does not bend after legal threats

Despite an onslaught from agents and managers who are using the threat of legal action to back him down, Lord Stevens is standing his ground, not backing off the findings of his bungs probe.

Israeli agent Pini Zahavi and former English Newcastle manager Graeme Souness are said to be readying for legal action against Stevens, as they were linked with some of the 17 transfers he could not sign off on. Zahavi was linked to five of the transfers.

Others implicated during the 15-month, GBP-1.3 million bungs inquiry included Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp and agent Mike Morris. Both pressured Stevens and his Quest investigators to show hard evidence of their involvement.

The decision is now in the hands of the English Football Association, which can act on the information and bring charges. With Zahavi's Israeli residence, he likely cannot be touched by the FA, though FIFA could make waves for the agent.

All the talk doesn't faze Stevens.

"Lord Stevens is used to these sorts of threats," said one source familiar with the investigation. "It is not the first time he has done an investigation like this, and his view is very much 'put up or shut up'."

Quest wants FIFA to probe Zahavi's lack of cooperation. Zahavi said he was targeted because he is a high-profile agent.

"This investigation is the joke of the century," Zahavi said. "What evidence do they have against me? They have defamed my name and I can assure you they will pay very dearly for this. I think they underestimate me.

"They will not brush this under the carpet. I won't rest until justice has been done. What angers me is I am an honest man full of integrity and this lot have treated me like a criminal."

Five of Zahavi's deals stood out to Quest – the move by Ayegbeni Yakubu to Middlesbrough from Portsmouth, Didier Drogba and Petr Cech going to Chelsea, Middlesbrough's signing of Fabio Rochemback and Portsmouth's acquisition of Collins Mbesuma. Those deals were singled out because of Zahavi's high fee take from the moves.

For Mbesuma's free transfer to Portsmouth in 2005, Zahavi said he loaned the money to Portsmouth to sign the player. That alone, he said, should allow him to share in any profits from the future transfer of the player, which would make him a third-party owner.

Of course, it being a free transfer, it is not sure why Portsmouth would need to borrow money from Zahavi.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.