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Football club Ajax must pay compensation to the scouting agency GIC for the transfers of players to Manchester United in 2022. This was the ruling handed down today by the Amsterdam Court of Appeal. The court had previously dismissed GIC’s claim, but the Court of Appeal has now awarded the compensation.

From 2016 onwards, GIC scouted youth and top talents for Ajax’s first team. Among others, the scouting agency brought Martínez and Antony to Ajax. In 2022, these two players moved to Manchester United for substantial transfer fees. The scouting agreement states that GIC is entitled to a fee if Ajax receives a net sum from the transfer of a player brought in by GIC. However, Ajax refuses to pay GIC a fee following the players’ transfer.

According to Ajax, GIC can no longer derive any rights from the scouting agreement, as GIC agreed to a letter from Ajax dated June 2020. That letter was drawn up when the scouting agreement came to an end and was not renewed. It states that GIC ‘grants Ajax full and final discharge’ in respect of all payments under the scouting agreement. According to Ajax, GIC thereby also waived any claims relating to any transfers that might still take place.

The Court of Appeal has now ruled that the letter does not have the far-reaching significance that Ajax attributes to it. The agreements related solely to the payments that Ajax owed and had made up to the time this letter was signed. GIC has therefore not waived its future right to compensation, and the Court of Appeal has consequently upheld GIC’s claim.