Revealed: Samir Nurkovic owed R12-million by Royal AM

The Durban-based outfit were ordered to pay the Serbian’s two-year contract in full by world governing body FIFA recently, as confirmed by his lawyer Davor Lazic, and have until Monday, 19 June to settle the debt.

Royal AM, owned by flamboyant businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize, signed Nurkovic on a free transfer 12 months ago when the striker left Kaizer Chiefs, but the club soon had a change of heart and served the player with a termination notice. 

Lazic has told the public broadcaster the KwaZulu-Natal club claimed the forward was injured and was absent from work, although their social media presented several pictures serving as evidence to the contrary.

With FIFA subsequently ruling in Nurkovic’s favour, it’s now emerged the total amount Royal AM have been instructed to pay is around R12-million, which covers the player’s salary for the duration of the contract, a fee due to his representatives, as well as interest due to the delay. 

Nurkovic was not paid a cent in the first three months of joining Thwihli Thwahla until he was given a bizarre 30-day notice to leave the club last year. 

It was expected the FIFA case would drag, but surprisingly the tribunal came out with a verdict a lot sooner and have already instructed Royal to make payment by next Monday or face further sanctions.

According to Lazic, in his interview with SABC Sport last week, Royal AM had a little over a week to appeal the outcome when it was delivered around May, but their legal team did not proceed with a counter-argument. 

“I do expect them to pay inside this prescribed deadline in order to put this case all behind us once and for all, and to avoid additional bans. I don’t’ see a way in which the club wouldn’t respect a FIFA decision,” Lazic said at the time. 

“There is no way to appeal this anymore – it’s either you respect it or not. If you don’t, then you face the consequences as a club. And if you want to be a part of FIFA and world football then you should follow the rules.”