The monumental transfer of 19-year-old winger Jan Djoumande from RB Leipzig and the Ivory Coast national team to Real Madrid has unexpectedly encountered a legal obstacle.
Despite RB Leipzig and Real Madrid's board fully agreeing on the terms of the deal worth over €135 million (£113 million), and the player himself having signed a five-year contract with the Madrid club, the transfer is temporarily frozen pending an official decision from FIFA.
The reason for the transfer's stoppage is an official complaint filed with the international federation by the player's former agent Max Gradel and his company Maxidel Management. Gradel's side claims there has been a gross violation of contractual obligations and representation rights for the footballer.
The conflict arose due to a change in agency: in the summer of 2025, Maxidel Management facilitated the move of the Ivorian from Spanish side Leganes to RB Leipzig. However, in February of this year, the rights to the player transferred to Roc Nation, owned by rapper and entrepreneur Jay-Z. The Madrid club conducted negotiations solely with Roc Nation, unaware of the legal claims from the former representatives.
FIFA will need to examine the details of the case and deliver a verdict. The organisation may grant Djoumande a temporary permission license to complete his move to José Mourinho's team or freeze the process until a detailed investigation concludes.
