Aston Villa will challenge FIFA at the Court of Arbitration for Sport next month after FIFA blocked the club from registering striker Brian Madjo, a Luxembourg international who joined from Metz and whose fee could rise to £10million.
For Aston Villa, the summer problem is not a transfer target—it’s a player they say is ready, and a registration block that could delay his season before it even starts.
Villa will challenge FIFA at sport’s highest court next month as they try to register young striker Brian Madjo in time for the new season. The case is set to be heard at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland, with the hearing scheduled for July 1.
Madjo, who turns 18 on January 12, joined Villa last winter from French club Metz. Born in Enfield near London, he also holds Luxembourg nationality and has won three senior caps for Luxembourg.
FIFA have so far blocked Villa from registering Madjo because of a rule that prevents minors—those under 18—from moving between countries. though certain exceptions are permitted. Villa want Madjo cleared so he can play. but FIFA’s position has left them heading for CAS rather than resolving it through normal procedures.
The stakes are also financial. The fee Villa paid for Madjo could eventually reach £10million, and the striker is considered across Europe as a player of considerable promise.
Before joining Villa, Madjo made two starts in Ligue 1 for Metz, accumulating 162 minutes in total across his five appearances. He also represented England at Under-17 level. Villa declined to comment as the dispute plays out.
That timeline—FIFA’s registration block based on the minor-movement rule, Villa’s decision to take the matter to Lausanne, and a July 1 hearing—puts a hard clock on the club’s plans for the new season, with Madjo caught in the middle as his eligibility remains unresolved.
Aston Villa FIFA Brian Madjo Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS Lausanne registration Metz Ligue 1 Luxembourg England Under-17 transfer dispute