“West Ham SLAMMED with £7M Fine SHOCKER! ‘Sanctions Will CRUSH Them!’ – Stefan Borson EXPOSES All!”

West Ham United signed Nikola Vlasic from Russian side CSKA Moscow in the summer of 2021 for a reported fee of £26.8 million.

As part of the transfer agreement, a second installment of around £7.2 million was scheduled to be paid in July 2022.

However, due to the imposition of UK government sanctions on Russia in the wake of geopolitical tensions, West Ham were unable to complete that payment.

In 2023, FIFA intervened, ordering the Premier League club to settle the outstanding balance or risk facing a ban on registering new players.

The matter was escalated to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which recently delivered a significant ruling.

CAS determined that West Ham would only be required to pay the remaining amount once they are granted a license by the British government or when the current sanctions regime is amended to allow such transactions.

Additionally, the court overturned FIFA’s previous directive that the club should pay 5% interest on the overdue amount dating back to 2022.

Financial analyst Stefan Borson, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, stated that the London club is essentially “powerless” under the current sanctions framework.

According to Borson, West Ham fully intends to meet their financial obligations to CSKA but are currently unable to legally process the payment due to the restrictions in place.

Borson explained, “They are going to have to make the payment, so what can you do? There are sanctions.

You just won’t find anyone willing to breach those sanctions, so they’re powerless to make the payment.”

He added that football debts cannot simply be ignored, especially when dealing with international transactions, as both UEFA and FIFA enforce strict penalties for clubs with unpaid dues.

He further suggested that while the funds may not be specifically earmarked for the payment, West Ham could consider holding them in a separate account or placing them under legal supervision, showing intent to settle the debt when possible.

“They’re going to pay it at some point — but no one knows when that might be,” Borson concluded.

The transfer itself turned out to be a disappointment for West Ham, with Vlasic managing just one goal and two assists across 31 appearances before eventually moving to Serie A side Torino.

Meanwhile, CSKA Moscow announced on June 13 that they may appeal the CAS ruling with Switzerland’s supreme court, as the legal dispute, now stretching over three years, continues.

In transfer news, West Ham are reportedly looking to bolster their left-back options following the departure of Aaron Cresswell.

According to Football Insider, the Hammers are among several clubs monitoring Genoa defender Aaron Martin.

The 28-year-old impressed in Serie A last season, recording eight assists in 36 appearances and emerging as one of the league’s most creative full-backs.

With West Ham in search of reinforcements, Martin has become a potential target as the club aims to strengthen ahead of the new campaign.