The dispute over Youcef Belaïli’s future has intensified after Mouloudia Club of Algiers (MC Alger) said it would ask Esperance Sportive de Tunis to release the Algerian international’s international transfer certificate.
MC Alger sporting director Djamel Belamri insists the club has a valid contract with Belaïli and says the Algerian side will take further action if Esperance refuses to recognise its claim.
The development came shortly after Esperance announced that the suspension imposed on Belaïli had been lifted and that his contract with the Tunisian club had been activated, clearing the way for him to return to competitive football.
The two clubs now have conflicting positions over the player’s contractual status, with MC Alger maintaining that Belaïli had already signed an agreement with them during the summer transfer window.
Belamri told Algerian channel El Heddaf that his club would not simply accept Esperance’s announcement and move on.
“I am not crazy! Mouloudia is not an amateur team. We will defend the team’s rights and we will not remain idle.”
His comments underline the seriousness of the dispute, with MC Alger preparing to challenge Esperance’s position rather than allowing the matter to be resolved solely between the player and the Tunisian club.
MC Alger insists Belaïli contract is valid
According to Belamri, Belaïli formally signed a contract with MC Alger.
The sporting director said the agreement contained a clause stating that it would become effective as soon as the player’s suspension was lifted.
That condition is central to the dispute because Esperance’s announcement that Belaïli’s suspension had ended was followed by the activation of his contract with the Tunisian club.
MC Alger, however, argues that the lifting of the suspension should also have triggered the agreement it says was already in place with the player.
Belamri has now indicated that the Algerian club intends to approach Esperance directly to request Belaïli’s international transfer certificate.
The request represents a significant escalation because the document would be central to the player’s registration and transfer between clubs.
Belamri said FIFA regulations are clear when a player signs more than one contract and stressed that MC Alger would use legal channels to protect what it considers its contractual rights.
The club’s position means the dispute could move beyond public statements and into a formal process involving the relevant football authorities.
Belamri warns of further action
MC Alger’s sporting director also warned that his club would respond if Esperance refused to provide the player’s international transfer documentation.
He said Mouloudia “knows how to respond,” signalling that the Algerian club could turn to the appropriate authorities if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.
Such a move could potentially bring FIFA or other competent bodies into the dispute.
The situation has become increasingly complicated because both clubs maintain that they have legitimate grounds for their respective positions.
Esperance’s argument is based on the activation of Belaïli’s contract following the removal of his suspension, while MC Alger says its own agreement with the player was concluded earlier and contains a provision linked directly to the lifting of the penalty.
The disagreement therefore centres not only on where Belaïli wants to play, but also on which contractual document has legal priority.
Contact between Belaïli and MC Alger
Belamri also revealed details of his contact with Belaïli and the player’s father during the dispute.
He said both the player and his father had contacted him in an effort to avoid complications with MC Alger’s management.
Belamri added that he was surprised by statements subsequently made by Belaïli’s father and explained that he had not been present when the player signed the contract that MC Alger claims to hold.
Belaïli’s father had previously apologised to MC Alger supporters while explaining that his son had decided to remain with Esperance after his suspension was lifted.
That position appeared to support Esperance’s return announcement, but it has done little to settle the dispute between the two clubs.
For Esperance, the situation appeared straightforward after the lifting of Belaïli’s suspension allowed the club to activate his contract and welcome him back.
For MC Alger, however, the matter remains unresolved.
Legal confrontation now possible
The dispute has consequently moved beyond a disagreement over Belaïli’s preferred destination.
It has developed into a potential contractual case involving two clubs from different countries, with both sides maintaining that their respective agreements with the player are valid.
MC Alger’s demand for Belaïli’s international transfer certificate is the latest step in its attempt to establish its claim.
If Esperance rejects the request, the Algerian club has indicated that it is prepared to seek intervention from the relevant authorities.
The eventual outcome could therefore depend on the documents held by the two clubs and how the competent football authorities interpret the agreements.
For now, Belaïli’s return to Esperance has not brought an end to the controversy.
Instead, the announcement appears to have opened another stage in a dispute that could extend beyond the clubs themselves and become a formal legal battle over the Algerian international’s contractual status.
