The lawyer hired for Ivorian striker Bernard Yao Kouassi's case filed at FIFA against TS Galaxy has confirmed that the case has finally been settled.

Galaxy's transfer ban effected by FIFA for non-compliance after failing to make payment within the stipulated time-frame has also been removed with Kouassi having received his full payment.

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According to the judgement, which is in the hands of this website, Kouassi signed a contract to run from January 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025, with a possible extension for a season.

Kouassi was to be paid a monthly salary of USD3 000 (approx. R55 000) with further financial terms of the contract indicating that he would get USD15 000 (approx. R274 000) if he scored at least 10 league goals, plus USD500 (approx. R9000) for every goal thereafter.

Ultimately, FIFA ruled that he be paid USD93 000, plus 5% interest per annum effective March 1, 2023.

The payment was done last week, which now allows The Rockets to register all their new signings.

TS Galaxy were represented by Eben Koen, in which they were the respondent, with Kouassi the claimant and represented by Deep Ray, the founder and managing director of Sensato Legal.

"All due processes have been followed and they finally paid Bernard last week, which means FIFA can now lift the transfer ban, which will then allow them to register new players," Deep Ray tells KickOff.

"Once the club has made the payment, they need to upload the proof of payment on the FIFA legal portal because this is the procedure for cases relating to non-compliance.

"We have already informed FIFA that the payment has been made and the transfer ban has [been] or will be lifted.

"The case is over.

"The matter at hand was that Bernard was invited to TS Galaxy in January last year and signed a contract (on January 17, 2023, but was ultimately not registered.

"They then wanted to get rid of Bernard without paying any compensation even though he had a contract.

"I spoke to the club lawyers because I know them from another case, but they were not interested, so we had no option than to approach FIFA.

"I have seen the comments that the club president (Tim Sukazi) has made in the media to the effect that Bernard is a trickster extorting money from the club, but I can tell you that this was never the idea.

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"Bernard wanted to play, but with the conduct of TS Galaxy, he lost out on playing for several months. 

"They also paid the cost of appeal at CAS, which was their right, and the experienced arbitrators upheld the FIFA decision," says Deep Ray.