Following his acrimonious exit from Pahang, Mohamadou Sumareh has made it clear — he will join Thailand's Police Tero FC as a free agent for the rest of the year.
After being accused of deserting the Pahang Super League team without a word a month ago, Sumareh was announced recently as a Police Tero player with the No 13 jersey.
The national winger claimed he is free to play in the Thai Premier League as he was granted a temporary International Transfer Certificate (ITC) by Fifa after Pahang FA refused to release his ITC.
"I am a free agent and I have been granted a temporary ITC by Fifa," he said.
Amid the messy "divorce" from Pahang, there were also rumours of the Gambia-born Sumareh joining Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT), and that he is "on loan" to the Thai side for the rest of the year.
"Who said I am joining JDT? Where did they hear this from? I am not on loan, these are all false accusations," he said.
"I am headed to Thailand and I am signing (with Police Tero)," added Sumareh who will be based in Bangkok with national teammate Dominic Tan (also a Police Tero player).
"I just want to go there, clear my head and do what I do best, which is to play football."
Sumareh, 26, hopes to put all the unfounded allegation by Pahang FA (PFA), which had led to netizens slamming him, to rest.
Football agent Effendi Jagan Abdullah, referring to Sumareh-PFA dispute, said a player can request for a temporary ITC under certain circumstances.
"From what I know of this case, a temporary request can be made (by Sumareh), and Fifa's Transfer Matching System (TMS) can intervene to provide a player with a temporary ITC so that he can play and not be stranded," said Effendi.
"I don't know if the request was made by Tero FC to FAM or Pahang. But in the event that Pahang did not respond, Fifa can grant the temporary ITC."
Regarding Sumareh's fallout with PFA, Effendi said it could have been better handled with a more effective form of communication with the help of the player's agent.
Meanwhile, lawyer Susanah Ng said if the ITC request of Sumareh's new team was rejected, Fifa may take provisional measures in exceptional circumstances and authorise the provisional registration as per Article 23.4 of Fifa's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP).
"The new association shall complete the relevant player's registration information in the TMS.
"In the interim, the player, the former club and/or the new club are entitled to lodge a claim with Fifa in accordance with article 22 of the RSTP to resolve their contractual dispute," she added.
On Monday, PFA made known their intention to take legal action against Sumareh for leaving them abruptly.
On Tuesday, Timesport reported Sumareh left the Elephants due to a contract dispute which had been ongoing for three years.
FAM deputy president Datuk Yusoff Mahadi said yesterday the national body had earlier rejected an ITC for Sumareh given by Thailand FA.
The reason is FAM are still looking into Sumareh's complaint against PFA, and they have yet to make an official decision.
"The Thai FA (then) referred the issue to Fifa, and Fifa have given a temporary ITC to Sumareh.
"However, Pahang FA can still take action against him," added Yusoff who reminds players to be responsible in making media statements.