N'Golo Kanté Files Legal Complaint Against Image Agent Following 'Death Threats'
By Max Cooper
Chelsea star N'Golo Kanté is in the midst of a serious legal dispute with his image agent Nouari Khiari, after the representative made a series of decisions against the Frenchman's will and then attempted to extort money from the midfielder.
Kanté has filed a complaint against Khiari, citing ‘fraud’, ‘attempted fraud’, ‘breach of trust’ and ‘illegal exercise of the profession of sports agent’, after the image agent accepted a €150,000 payment to end their professional relationship, but then continued to demand more money from the diminutive star.
L'Equipe reports that Kanté is worried about the effect this court case will have on his 'nice guy' image, but he is willing to protect it at all costs against the man whose job it originally was to raise the France star's profile.
The 28-year-old first began working with Khiari in 2016, but their relationship deteriorated quickly when the agent started to propose agreements, such as a deal with a betting company, which Kanté felt didn't match his image.
The Chelsea star decided to end the working relationship in July 2017, and paid €150000 to sever the ties with Khiari. It is reported however, that the agent kept the money along with all copies of the deal, and then attempted to wring more money from Kanté.
Kanté and his sport's advisor, Abdelkarim Douis, offered a further €300000 to put the situation to bed, but this was ignored by Khiari, leading to Douis also filing a complaint against the agent, citing ‘death threats, wilful violence and false accusation’.
Another main cause for the fractured relationship between the pair was Khiari's interference with Kanté's playing career. The agent reportedly attempted to engineer a move from Stamford Bridge to Real Madrid without his client's permission in 2018, which led to the Chelsea man wishing to distance himself from Khiari.
Further issues have arisen regarding Kanté's representation, as Get French Football News reports that another of his former advisors, along with his advisor's brother, also threatened him whilst potentially carrying a weapon.
"One of N'Golo Kanté's former advisers, Rachid Saadna, admits in an audio tape obtained by Mediapart that in March 2017 he threatened the Chelsea player & also brought his brother to the meeting 'who maybe had a gun' over a commission he had not received," they explained.
Kanté's on-field form has been unaffected by these issues, and the Frenchman scored in Chelsea's recent defeat to Manchester City. He has made six appearances for the Blues this season, and looks to have recovered from recent injury issues.