New signing Jaiden Kucharski and captain Ben Garuccio unable to play for Western United due to FIFA registration banWestern United could lose recent signing Jaiden Kucharski before he plays a competitive game for the club due to a registration ban that will prevent him and club captain Ben Garuccio from playing in an Australia Cup round-of-32 clash against Sydney FC on Tuesday night.
United announced the signing of ex-Sky Blues attacker Kucharski earlier this month despite knowing that he could not be registered due to an ongoing FIFA ban stemming from a unresolved financial dispute involving the club’s former striker Aleksandar Prijovic.
he ban also applies to left-back Garuccio, as he didn’t re-sign with United until after he had become a free agent, meaning he needs to be re-registered.
As a result, the pair can’t play against the Sydneysiders at Ironbark Fields, and Football Australia is also investigating whether United breached the ban by fielding Kucharski in a friendly game last week against NPL Victoria club Oakleigh Cannons. The club’s proposed new ownership structure, which was announced in May and involves KAM Melbourne, a subsidiary of American company KAM Sports buying a $100m controlling stake in the club and its parent company Western Melbourne Group, is yet to be approved by the Australian Professional Leagues, which runs the A-League.
The lengthy delay for approval is understood to be because the APL is yet to receive KAM Melbourne’s completed ownership proposal. link
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