Osasuna will go to court to try and overturn the departure of academy player Sergio Nuin to Athletic Bilbao. The club will file an appeal this week with the Madrid Superior Court of Justice to annul the RFEF ruling that authorised the young player's free transfer.
The Navarrese entity argues that the RFEF's Jurisdictional Committee lacks the authority to decide on professional contracts. This body, based in Las Rozas, cancelled Nuin's license with Osasuna and greenlit his move to Athletic. The player, already registered for Athletic's Juvenil de División de Honor squad, has yet to make his debut for his new club.
Osasuna states that Nuin had a valid contract, with a unilateral renewal option that the club exercised on time, tying him to the club until 2028. During his time in the youth setup, the footballer received the agreed economic payments. His signing of a professional deal with Athletic after turning 16 is viewed by Osasuna as a breach of contract. "We are not going to stand idly by on the matter of Sergio Nuin," the club said.
The situation was complicated during a recent Spain under-17 call-up, where Nuin initially appeared as an Athletic player before the RFEF had officially communicated its ruling. This error, later corrected, caused frustration in Pamplona. Osasuna had already summoned the player for the first day of pre-season with the youth team, but Nuin did not attend, confirming suspicions of a prior agreement with the Basque club.
The Navarrese club insists the case should be resolved by ordinary labour courts and not by federative committees, as it considers this a professional contract. The RFEF's decision, according to club sources, sets a dangerous precedent for the contractual stability of academy players in Spain. Osasuna expects the Madrid Superior Court of Justice to admit the appeal for processing in the coming days to start the judicial process.
This legal battle comes as the first team seeks to stabilise its form in La Liga. Osasuna sit 13th with 8 points, having recorded one win, one draw and three defeats in their last five matches. Their next fixture is a tough away trip to third-placed Real Betis on October 11th. Fans can check the full schedule on our fixtures page and this season's squad on squad. Forward Ante Budimir, with five goals, is the team's top scorer this season.
First reported at Diario de Navarra
