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Sport lawyers help in the signing of chinese football player to Mancherster United
1/02/2007

Sports lawyers at Brabners Chaffe Street have helped complete a deal which finally sees Manchester United`s first Chinese signing eligible to play in the Premiership.

Striker Dong Fangzhuo has signed a three and a half year contract with the Old Trafford club.

The player originally agreed to move to United from Chinese team Dalian Shide in January 2004.

However, because Dong did not meet the UK work permit criteria at that time, he was registered with Royal Antwerp of the Belgian League with which United has a partnership relationship. Belgium has less stringent work permit arrangements than the UK for professional footballers.

The UK work permit regulations required Dong to have featured in 75 per cent of the competitive games of the Chinese national side in the two years before the application and China itself had to be placed higher than 70th in the FIFA world rankings when averaged over the same period.

Having finally satisfied the criteria in late 2006, Dong secured his work permit and was registered to play for United during the January 2007 transfer window. During his time in Belgium, Dong scored 35 goals in 61 matches.

Brabners Chaffe Street`s busy start to the January 2007 transfer window continued when it also advised Manchester United on its loan of striker Henrik Larsson from Helsingborgs IF of Sweden until March 2007.

Matthew Bennett, a partner at Brabners Chaffe Street`s Manchester office, worked on behalf of Manchester United to secure both signings and was assisted by solicitor Stuart Baird on the work permit for Dong Fangzhuo.


For further information contact Matthew Bennett at Brabners Chaffe Street on 0161 836 8800

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