PSV Eindhoven will seek compensation should sacked
substance-abusing striker Jonathan Reis sign with another club.
The 20-year-old Brazilian left PSV on Monday after the club
claimed he had tested positive for a banned substance and refused
to seek help on the matter.
Reis had reported for training in poor condition and was sent
to hospital for tests, which is when the banned substance was
discovered.
As he has not failed an official drugs test, he can sign with
another club. But PSV director Jan Reker said he would then seek
compensation, citing the example of former Chelsea striker Adrian
Mutu.
Mutu signed for Juventus but was then told he must pay
Chelsea £14.7million for breach of contract.
Reker admitted there are some differences between the two
cases, not least the fact that Mutu failed an official drugs test
and received a seven-month ban as a result. But he believes the
principles are the same.
"We have obtained information from all the authorities and
the case is relevant," he said in De Telegraaf following a media
briefing.
"We are entitled to compensation." Reker added that the club
had no option but to sack Reis, as they feared he would be banned
soon enough anyway if they did not.
"We could not risk losing him to a doping test after a game,
so we proceeded to act," he said. "These things stay in the body so
long, it would mean he could not play again this season.
"He told us he would stop, but this was not enough in our
eyes. The drugs are addictive and he needs to go to a clinic."
