Enlarge imageBy Chrystel Boulet-Euchin
PARIS (Reuters) - Stade Rennes have reported Manchester City to FIFA for allegedly poaching teenaged defender Jeremy Helan.
"We reported Manchester City to FIFA on March 19," Rennes general manager Pierre Dreossi told Reuters by telephone on Tuesday. "Jeremy Helan had signed a two-year contract when he started at Clairefontaine and we are asking that his contract is respected."
City denied any wrongdoing, saying in a statement on their website (www.mcfc.co.uk): "We are comfortable that we have acted within the rules throughout the process and in no way induced any breach of contract by Jeremy Helan."
Rennes reported City after Helan moved to England in January despite having signed a two-year contract with the Brittany side while he was at the French football academy in Clairefontaine.
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Helan, 16, joined the academy in 2008 and was France's under-16 captain.
"We cannot be robbed like that," Dreossi said. "There will be negotiation...or not. It is now up to FIFA to decide.
"We have been trying to contact City but we did not get any answer. But the outcome of the Lens v Chelsea dispute will make them think," he added.
Last week, FIFA found Chelsea guilty of inducing Gael Kakuta, now 18, to break his contract with RC Lens in 2007 and banned them from registering any new players for the next two transfer windows.
(Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Clare Fallon)
