Carlo Ancelotti, the Real Madrid coach who filed a legal claim against his former club Everton earlier this month, has settled his case with the Premier League club.
The move comes barely two weeks after papers were filed at London’s high court – and just five days after the Guardian disclosed that the Italian had held discussions with Alisher Usmanov, the controversial Russian oligarch, about a series of incentive payments dependent on Everton’s performance in the Premier League. The discussions raised questions about whether a proposed side deal between Ancelotti and Usmanov had been behind the legal claim.
A statement from Ancelotti’s barrister said: “Carlo Ancelotti and Everton Football Club have reached an amicable resolution to their dispute. Carlo has enduring respect and a deep affection for the club’s fans and wishes them and the club the very best for the future.”
Everton declined to comment when contacted by the Guardian. No further details about the settlement were given and the agreement was reached before details of Ancelotti’s claim were made public via the court system.
Last week Usmanov’s spokesperson told the Guardian that in “personal interactions” between the oligarch and Ancelotti, Usmanov “discussed the hypothetical possibility of creating an additional bonus fund for the club”. He added that the tycoon “has always carefully observed the Premier League’s rules and legal requirements. He has never, and could never, make any decisions within FC Everton.”
It is understood that Everton’s position was that no bonus payments were offered on behalf of the club and that it would not have authorised any such payments. Companies in which Usmanov was the largest shareholder had been major sponsors of Everton. However, the club withdrew from the arrangements after Usmanov was sanctioned in March 2022 in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Before that, Usmanov had been banned from entering the UK by the Home Office in 2021. At the time, Everton said they were aware that the oligarch had been barred from the UK but that the club had not broken any laws or Premier League rules.
When the Foreign Office sanctions were imposed in March 2022, he described the department’s citation as “false and defamatory allegations damaging my honour, dignity and business reputation”, and vowed to fight them.
