FIA Sports Management Sues Socceroo Apostolos Giannou For More Than A$1.25M

Socceroo Apostolos Giannou is being sued by his management for more than A$1.25M ($980,300) for "allegedly cutting them out" of an A$11M deal he helped broker, according to Peter Mickelburough of the HERALD SUN. FIA Sports Management claims when Greek-born Giannou signed the deal that saw him move to Chinese Super League club Guangzhou R&F after nine years playing in Greece, he "refused to pay" its 10% commission. The three-year deal reportedly involved a A$4M transfer fee and annual player payments of A$2.3M ($1.8M). In a writ filed in the Supreme Court, FIA claimed Melbourne-raised Giannou, 28, signed a two-year management deal with it in Sept. '15. Under the deal, FIA claims it had "an exclusive mandate to investigate and negotiate a permanent transfer or loan from Greek side Asteras Tripoli to clubs in Asia, with any such deal requiring its approval" (HERALD SUN, 1/10).