March 26, (THEWILL) – The Premier League has vetoed Burnley’s bid to save former Chelsea winger, Victor Moses, from the anguish of being stuck in uncertainty in wartime Russia.
The Spartak Moscow player is still stranded in Moscow, cut off from his family and friends.
Moses is out of contract until June 30 of this year and can be signed under FIFA and UEFA special permission. Due to Russia’s war on Ukraine, the statutes allowing transfers have been temporarily amended.
Moses was offered the chance to play again, earn a salary, and be reunited with his family in England by Burnley, but the Premier League has refused to accept such a request, citing the competition’s sports integrity as a reason.
La Liga has allowed clubs to sign war-affected footballers, with Sheffield United becoming the first English club to sign a player – Filip Uremovic – after his contract with a Russian club was temporarily halted.
The Premier League has been chastised for its position. Tim Sparv, a former captain of Finland, told Sky Sports News: “We need to do everything we can to help players get out of Russia, a country led by a dictator.
“We need to give them the chance to go and play somewhere where they feel safe. This is a humanitarian issue.”
However, the EPL is not alone in this regard. On the basis of sporting integrity, Serie A and the Bundesliga have similarly prohibited clubs from exploiting the special permission.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
