Evangelos Marinakis Faces Legal Backlash Over Controversial Transfer Deal

Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is embroiled in a potential legal nightmare after admitting he sold winger André Luiz from Rio Ave to Olympiacos at a bargain price, despite higher offers from Premier League and Portuguese clubs.[1][2]

The Greek shipping magnate, who controls Nottingham Forest, Greek powerhouse Olympiacos, and Portuguese side Rio Ave, revealed in comments to the Greek press and Olympiacos players that Wolverhampton Wanderers and Benfica had bid around €20 million (£17.1m) for the 23-year-old Brazilian in January.[1][2] Ignoring these lucrative proposals, Marinakis opted for an internal transfer to Olympiacos for just €6.75m (€6.5m in some reports), stating he "wanted to strengthen" his Greek club.[1][2]

This decision has ignited fury from Estrela da Amadora, André Luiz's former club, which holds a 10% sell-on clause from his prior deal with Rio Ave. The undervalued transfer allegedly cost them a significant payout—potentially €1.3m to €2m based on the gap between offers.[1][2] In a strongly worded statement, Estrela expressed "serious and legitimate concerns" over the transaction, claiming it raises questions of economic fairness and directly diminished their entitled revenue.[1][2]

"The public confirmation of these facts by the person involved himself presents us with a situation that raises serious and legitimate concerns."[1]

Estrela has vowed to escalate the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and Portuguese authorities, scrutinizing Marinakis' multi-club model. Critics argue the "dodgy dealings" prioritized Olympiacos' sporting needs over fair market value, potentially haunting the Forest owner's empire.[1][2]

While the deal bolstered Olympiacos, it now spotlights ethical issues in cross-club ownership, with legal ramifications looming for Marinakis' network—including Premier League side Nottingham Forest.[2]

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