Robinho's transfer to Real 'does not meet requirements of law'
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Your support makes all the difference.The nine-times European champions said on Thursday that they had paid 60 per cent, or $30m [£17.2m], of the $50m buy-out clause stipulated in Robinho's contract to buy Santos' share of his rights. Robinho, aged 21, has waived the remaining 40 per cent to which he is entitled.
But the federation's legal director, Carlos Eugenio Lopes, said that a unilateral breach of contract would require Real Madrid to pay Santos the full $50m. Lopes said Robinho would not be granted the International Transfer Certificate he needs to complete the move.
"We're going to deny the certificate because the transfer does not meet the requirements of the law," Lopes said. "We can't release him either under Brazilian law or under Fifa rules. [Brazilian law] requires the payment of the entire amount for there to be a unilateral end to the contract and that is not what Real are proposing."
Lopes said Santos had told the federation that they did not agree with the transfer. "Santos will only release him for $50m. Robinho would only have the right to his 40 per cent in a deal which is done by mutual agreement between both parties."
Robinho's contract runs until 2008 and the Santos president, Marcelo Teixeira, has accused Real of approaching the 21-year-old Brazil international without the club's permission and of trying to use their financial muscle to take the player.
Santos' legal director, Mario Mello, denied the deal was close to completion. "We can't accept that they interpret the contract in one way and deposit the amount that they feel is right," he said.
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