Royal AM have finally agreed to push their hands into their pockets in seeking to find measures to get Ricardo Nascimento's issue with the club out of the way.
Nascimento took up his breach of contract dispute with Royal AM to FIFA last year after failed attempts to resolve the matter amicably and was handed an award of R600 000 (effective September 2023 with an interest of 5% per annum).
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Royal AM didn't comply and were then handed a three-window transfer ban, following which they requested a motivated decision from FIFA, before subsequently withdrawing their CAS appeal.
The FIFA ban came into effect on January 15 this year with Nascimento having already returned home to join former club Rio Branco Esporte Clube, where he has played in the 2024 Campeonato Paulista until recent weeks.
This website has since been informed that since changing their legal representative in the matter from Leruma Thobejane of Botha Massyn and Thobejane Attorneys to Eben Koen from BDP Attorneys, there has been progress on the matter.
The change of representation happened two months ago and was confirmed to KickOff.com by Pedro Felipe Gomes da Silva, partner of RA Law firm based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, who represent Nascimento.
With the South African season over and another transfer window due to open, Royal AM have felt the need to solve this matter via paying a settlement.
Royal AM have already sent a settlement proposal offer, but it was lower than what is due to Nascimento as per the order from FIFA.
The former Mamelodi Sundowns defender is insisting on the full amount due to him.
FIFA will only lift the ban once they get the green-light from the Brazilian, who will have accepted the offer and received it in his account.
Prior to the latest route taken by Royal AM, they had claimed to have paid Nascimento, but it was dismissed by FIFA.
There could still be yet another issue for Royal AM relating to Nascimento, with the intermediary who represented him in doing the deal also demanding his commission.
The Brazilian agent was given promises that he would be paid but hasn't received anything to this day.
This is a separate matter to Nascimento's claim that has already gone to FIFA.
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Royal AM have another three-window transfer ban relating to Samir Nurkovic, which came into effect on July 3, 2023.
It remains unresolved, with FIFA having awarded that Nurkovic be paid amounts stretching to millions of Rands.
Royal AM were only able to tap into their reserve team last season with Ayanda Jiyane, Sabelo Sithole, Hopewell Cele, Sanele Radebe and Ayabulela Maxwele coming up after Tebogo Potsane, Tshepo Rikhotso, Lantshene Phalane, Happy Jele, Ricardo Nascimento, Mthokozisi Dube and Elias Pelembe left.