‘Collective decision’ to loan out Perth Glory star, according to APL
Salim Khelifi’s loan move away from Perth Glory could help the APL’s bid to sell the struggling A-League club.
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The Australian Professional Leagues claim Perth Glory were part of a “collective decision” to loan star midfielder Salim Khelifi to a rival A-League outfit despite the club claiming it was “instructed” to allow the Tunisian international to leave.
The A-League’s financial woes continue to have an impact on the Glory, who remain without an owner after Tony Sage was stripped of the club’s licence last year.
The Perth club is currently being propped up the APL, which runs the A-League.
Almost half of the APL’s 80-plus staff have been made redundant in the past week, and KeepUp, the APL’s digital media platform, is set to be scrapped after $40 million was invested in it.
The struggling Glory – who had already been told by the APL they could not bring any players to the club during the current transfer window – released a statement on Friday night, saying it had been “instructed to offload Khelifi, who is set to join Melbourne Victory.
“I want to make it very clear to all our members, club partners and fans that this decision is neither the will, nor the want of the club,” Glory chief executive officer Anthony Radich said.
“It is a direct consequence of our inherited financial legacy, but that said, the outcome is still a very difficult one to accept on many levels.
“We understand the disappointment that this will bring to all our key stakeholders and furthermore, the significant impact it will have upon (coach) Alen Stajcic and his team as they look to drive forward into the second half of the season.”
However, the APL claimed Perth supported the decision, which was made to improve the Glory’s books and make the club a more attractive proposition for potential owners.
Among those interested in securing the Glory licence is Melbourne property developer Ross Pelligra, who bankrolls Italian lower division club Catania.
“The (Glory) was placed into receivership some months ago,” an APL spokesman said.
“During this process, the APL has been working closely with Perth Glory and receivers KordaMentha to secure strong new ownership to ensure the club’s long-term viability.
“All decisions are made collectively between Perth Glory, KordaMentha and the APL, including the sale of players.”
Meanwhile, kick-off time for Sunday’s A-League men’s clash between Central Coast Mariners and Melbourne City in Gosford has been moved back to 6pm (AEDT) due to hot weather forecasts.
Originally published as ‘Collective decision’ to loan out Perth Glory star, according to APL
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