Chelsea Football Club has filed a request to dismiss a multi-million-pound lawsuit brought against them by football agent Saif Alrubie. Alrubie’s claim, filed with the London Circuit Commercial Court, targets both the club and former Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia. This follows Alrubie’s acquittal at Southwark Crown Court earlier this year, where he was found not guilty of sending a threatening email.

Chelsea believes that Alrubie’s claim has been incorrectly filed and intends to request that the case be moved to arbitration under the Football Association’s rules, which govern disputes between agents, clubs, and players. FA regulations stipulate that any such disagreements should be resolved through Rule K (Arbitration), meaning the court may not have jurisdiction over the matter.

Despite Chelsea’s application, Alrubie remains confident that his case will be heard in court. A spokesperson for the agent stated, “Chelsea and Ms Granovskaia have a clear interest in preventing [Alrubie’s] claim from being heard in open court given current investigations into the club and its activities under its previous ownership.”

The lawsuit revolves around fees Alrubie claims he is owed regarding the transfer of defender Kurt Zouma from Chelsea to West Ham United in August 2021. Alrubie, who acted as an intermediary in the deal, initially sought £300,000 in commission. However, after his acquittal, he indicated that he is now pursuing a far larger sum, reportedly “ten times” the original amount, as he claims the true details of the transfer were hidden from him.

Reflecting on the case, Alrubie expressed disappointment over how the situation has unfolded, stating, “The last two-and-a-half years have been incredibly difficult. As a fan of Chelsea FC, and having had a productive business relationship with the club over a number of years, I am saddened that I have been forced to take this step.”

Alrubie hopes that Chelsea’s current co-owners, Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, will intervene and resolve the dispute. He called for them to “right this wrong” and expressed his desire for a resolution that would allow all parties to move on.

During Alrubie’s trial earlier this year, the court heard that he believed he was entitled to a commission on any fee received above €30 million for Zouma’s transfer. The defender was ultimately sold for £29.1 million, with £4.1 million of that total paid to Zouma as a severance package. Alrubie argued that he had been misled regarding the full details of the transaction and had initially demanded the £300,000 without knowledge of the true structure of the deal.

Alrubie’s email to Granovskaia, sent in May 2022, referenced the deal and made a comparison to another football agent, Kia Joorabchian, with whom Alrubie had a prior financial dispute. Alrubie warned Granovskaia, “Wouldn’t want you to be in the same situation just because you have a personal issue with me.”

Granovskaia, who appeared as a witness in the case, later issued a public statement explaining her decision to testify. She shared that giving evidence in court was difficult, as the situation had resurfaced negative feelings surrounding the email incident. “I am an intensely private person, but I was willing to do my part to ensure that no one else – particularly no woman – was ever made to feel as I did upon receiving his email,” Granovskaia said.

Since stepping down from her role at Chelsea after the club’s 2022 takeover, Granovskaia has maintained a low profile but received widespread support from colleagues and football industry figures following the incident.

As Chelsea seeks to have the lawsuit moved to arbitration, the case highlights some of the complex disputes that can arise in high-profile football transfers. Whether the courts or the FA will ultimately decide the outcome remains to be seen, but Alrubie’s claim continues to cast a shadow over one of the more contentious deals in Chelsea’s recent history.