KUALA LUMPUR – Selangor FC have dismissed allegations from fans suggesting that the club mistreated its players, leading to the departures of Reziq Bani Hani and Umar Eshmurodov during the ongoing Super League season.
These claims emerged on social media, where it was suggested that the Red Giants failed to honour their star players’ contracts, despite offering lucrative deals.
Reziq Bani, a Jordanian-born player who joined Selangor in May this year for an undisclosed fee after an exceptional performance at the Under-23 Asian Cup, left for Jordanian Pro League club Al-Hussein in September.
Meanwhile, 26-year-old Eshmurodov, who appeared in 18 matches across various competitions including the Super League, FA Cup, Malaysia Cup, Challenge Cup, and AFC Champions League 2 this season, joined Uzbek side Nassaf just nine months after signing with the Red Giants.
In an interview with Scoop, Football Association of Selangor deputy president Datuk Seri Shahril Mokhtar said that both players left the club on mutually agreed terms.
He also emphasised that Selangor FC have never breached any player contracts.
“I wonder why this is being turned into an issue. Players coming and going is normal in football. Players from Terengganu and Sabah have also left their clubs mid-season,” Shahril explained.
“At Selangor, everything is done mutually. If players wish to leave or shorten their contracts, we usually find a way to sell them profitably, benefiting both the player and the club.”
He also said that with Selangor not fighting for major domestic or international titles, except for the Malaysia Football League Challenge Cup, the departure of big-name players allows the club to save money and give opportunities to younger players.
“There is no truth to the claim that players are unhappy at Selangor FC. We are one family here. Players are free to stay or leave, but at the end of the day, no one is bigger than the club,” Shahril added.
The Red Giants are currently ranked second in the Super League with 35 points from 16 games, 11 points behind table-toppers JDT. – December 30, 2024