Chelsea F.C. Drops Legal Action Against Zouma, West Ham United
Motion to Quash Legal Action
The club has decided to drop its legal action against Kurt Zouma and West Ham United after the two parties reached an agreement. The Blues were seeking damages of £20 million from the Hammers for allegedly breaching a contract by signing Zouma in the summer of 2021.
Zouma had joined West Ham from Chelsea on a permanent deal worth £29.8 million in August 2021. However, the Blues claimed that the Hammers had breached a contractual agreement by signing the defender without their permission.
Chelsea argued that they had a buy-back option for Zouma, which allowed them to re-sign the player for a set fee. The Blues claimed that West Ham were aware of this option but signed Zouma anyway, breaching their contract.
West Ham's Denial
West Ham denied any wrongdoing and insisted that they had not breached any contract. The Hammers claimed that they had acted in good faith and had not been aware of any buy-back option for Zouma.
The two clubs were set to go to court over the matter, but they have now reached an agreement to drop the legal action. The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, but it is believed that Chelsea have received a substantial financial settlement from West Ham.
Chelsea's Statement
Chelsea released a statement confirming that they had dropped the legal action against Zouma and West Ham. The statement said: "Chelsea Football Club can confirm that it has reached an agreement with West Ham United to discontinue legal proceedings in relation to the transfer of Kurt Zouma."
"The club is satisfied that the matter has been resolved amicably and wishes Kurt Zouma and West Ham United all the best for the future."
West Ham's Statement
West Ham also released a statement confirming the agreement. The statement said: "West Ham United can confirm that it has reached an agreement with Chelsea Football Club to discontinue legal proceedings in relation to the transfer of Kurt Zouma."
"The club is pleased that the matter has been resolved amicably and wishes Kurt Zouma and Chelsea all the best for the future."
Conclusion
The agreement between Chelsea, Zouma, and West Ham brings to an end a long-running legal dispute. The Blues were seeking significant damages from the Hammers, but they have now decided to drop the legal action.
The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, but it is believed that Chelsea have received a substantial financial settlement from West Ham. The Blues will now be able to move on from the Zouma saga and focus on the future.
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