Pape Gueye: Marseille and Senegal midfielder ordered to pay Watford 拢2.3m in compensation

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Pape Gueye was part of Senegal's 2021 Africa Cup of Nations-winning squad

French club Marseille and Senegal's Pape Gueye have been told they must pay Watford 拢2.3m for a contract breach that took place in 2020.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) announced on Friday it had upheld sanctions previously imposed by Fifa, football's world governing body.

Gueye, 24, who has made 74 appearances for the Ligue 1 side, has been issued with a four-month ban from football.

But Cas overturned the one-year transfer ban imposed on Marseille.

The dispute began in 2020, when Gueye signed a pre-contract agreement with then-Premier League side Watford in April - with the club even announcing their new signing from Le Havre.

But the player pulled out of the move and joined Ligue 1's Marseille in July on a four-year deal.

In January 2022, Fifa imposed the four-month ban on Gueye and issued the fine - a decision which was then challenged at Cas by Gueye, Marseille and Championship side Watford.

Cas said Gueye and Marseille should jointly pay the fine.

Gueye argued he had been given bad advice by his agent over the wages he was likely to receive from Watford.