Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise’s agent, Glen Tweneboah, has been banned for six months for violating rules related to a future transfer when Olise was at Reading in 2019.
The Athletic reported that Tweneboah breached Football Association rules by entering into an agreement that entitled him to 10% of Olise’s future transfer fee, although no such payment was ever made.
Olise, who graduated from Reading’s academy and signed his first professional contract in 2019, has scored 10 goals for Palace this season and has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park, with a £60m price tag on him.
Reading has been fined £200,000 for their role in the breach, while the club’s former chief executive, Nigel Howe, has been suspended for 12 months and fined £5,000 by an independent regulatory commission.
Tweneboah’s ban, which takes effect on October 4, 2024, means he could still negotiate a potential transfer for Olise this summer. He has also been fined £15,000.
Reading’s head of football operations, Michael Gilkes, and club secretary, Sue Hewett, were warned about their future conduct.
The Royals issued a statement expressing their “extreme disappointment” with the “excessive” sanctions, emphasizing that they were related to a “single agent negotiation.”
‘Fell short of high standards we usually operate’ – Reading statement
“All clubs are extremely vulnerable to losing talented players that they have spent many years nurturing and developing,” the statement said., external
“It remains a challenge to navigate and negotiate such deals in the best interests of the football club and these young players.
“On this one occasion, the club’s conduct fell short of the high standards with which we usually operate, and the club is committed to ensuring this will not happen again.
“Nigel, Sue and Michael have each worked for and represented Reading FC in an exemplary fashion for over 20 years. There has been no prior history of offences, nor any since.”
Howe, currently Reading’s property projects manager and involved in brokering the sale of the club owned by Chinese businessman Dai Yongge, was the Royals’ CEO at the time of the breach.
The commission’s report described Howe’s approach to the negotiation with Tweneboah, and negotiations in general, as “nothing short of astonishing,” noting that he showed a “reckless disregard” for the rules.
The report labeled the breaches as “both serious and concerning” while detailing the sanctions.
Howe’s 12-month suspension is immediate, barring him from involvement in player contract negotiations and transfer-related activities (including dealings with agents/intermediaries) for the first six months. For the following six months, he will be banned from “all football-related activity.”
This suspension could prevent him from participating in the sale of the club if it is not completed within the suspension period.
In March, the financially troubled club announced it was in “exclusive negotiations” with a buyer.
Reading had six points deducted for financial breaches this season, after having four points docked the previous term. They finished the League One season in 17th place, nine points clear of relegation.