Club representatives of Tunisian Premier League sides Esperance du Tunis (ES Tunis) and Etoile Du Sahel, on Thursday, 6 July resorted to a serious fistfight in a hustle to sign Cameroonian footballer, Franck Kom.
Kom was in talks with both clubs over a possible return to the Tunisian League Professionnelle from German second-tier club, Karlsruher SC.
Etoile Du Sahel first initiated negotiations with the 26-year-old and was confident in landing its former player’s signature but unbeknown to them, rival club Esperance had gazumped the negotiations by offering the Cameroonian twice the wage Sahel offered.
Drama ensued when Kom touched down at Tunis International Airport, with representatives of both clubs turning up to escort the midfielder.
Consequently, a bitter row ensued between the teams leading to a brawl before Kom allowed to be whisked away by Esperance’s waiting convoy to begin the medical check process.
The incident had fans of both clubs fuming with enraged ones among them wasting little to no time in bombarding the footballer with torrents of abuse on his official social media page.
Prior to Thursday’s brawl, Etoile Du Sahel publicly went ahead to announce that it had brokered a three-year contract with the player, a thing Kom flatly refuted. ES Sahel’s move was a clear aim at frustrating Esperance’s interest but it spectacularly backfired.
Kom first joined Etoile Du Sahel in the summer of 2012 from Cameroon Elite One’s side Bangangte, for a fee in the region of €42,000. Four years later, the erstwhile Karlrusher star switched to Germany for a sum in the excess of €800,000.
However, the Indomitable Lion was unhappy over the way he was shoved through the door by Etoile Du Sahel, and this is believed to have factored in Kom’s dramatic U-turn to accept Esperance’s proposal.
Featured Photo: Getty Images
