It's been quite a day for Emmanuel Eboue. The former Arsenal full back signed for Sunderland earlier this month and it had been all set for the Ivorian to slot into Sam Allardyce's squad and help towards saving the club from relegation.
However, that plan has come to a swift end after he was given notice that he has been banned from world football for a year having failed to pay his former agent amid an ongoing dispute been the pair. Subsequently, Sunderland have released a statement stating their intention to tear up Eboue's contract in light of the suspension.
Sunderland AFC has been advised by the Football Association that Emmanuel Eboué has been placed under an immediate suspension from football and all football-related activity for a period of one year, by Fifa.
The suspension relates to a monetary dispute which precedes his time at Sunderland AFC and was not something that the club was made aware of by the player.
Eboué signed a contract with Sunderland AFC until the end of the current season and the club has therefore given notice of its intention to terminate the contract. The player has two weeks in which to appeal this decision.
The dispute with Sébastien Boisseau, Eboue's former agent, went through to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but an appeal by the Ivorian failed and he now has 120 days to settle the debt but, given the fact that he was only signed a short term deal through to the end of the season, Sunderland have seen fit to wash their hands on the matter at the earliest possible opportunity.
And yes, someone had to say it.
