Indriyanto breaks transfer record

Indriyanto breaks transfer record

JAKARTA (JP): The bizarre aftermath of an ambitious project sending national junior football players to Italy took its toll when Indriyanto Nugroho completed a cynical deal which cost his new club just Rp 100 (5 US cents) on Friday.

It must be the cheapest transfer ever in the soccer world, but the Surakarta, Central Java-based club, Arseto, did ask the ridiculous price of giant club Pelita Jaya.

"We don't want to pose a hurdle to Indriyanto's career. We just want everybody to respect us because we have groomed him since he was a no-name," Arseto manager Halim Perdana said after signing the deal with Pelita manager Andrie Amien.

Officials of the All-Indonesia Football Association were present at the signing.

Transfer confusion marred Indonesian soccer soon after the Italian stint called Primavera concluded last year, with the national soccer body hanging up the status of some junior players.

Indriyanto, an obvious victim of the ambiguity, told Bola sports tabloid last week that he never wanted to be a part of Arseto. His move to Pelita will earn him Rp 1.5 million a month.

Halim denied the statement, saying that Arseto, owned by President Soeharto's son Sigit Harjojudanto, recruited Indriyanto from a small club Fortuna in Sukoharjo, 25 kilometers east of Surakarta, through talent scouting.

"But if he insists on playing for Pelita, we will let him go without any reserve," Halim told Antara.

Andrie said that he did not think that Arseto intended to mock him by asking such a very low price. Pelita had previously bought Aples Tecuari, Indriyanto's Primavera teammate, from Persipura Jayapura in a Rp 15 million deal.

Dali Taher, transfer manager of the soccer body, said that Indriyanto's transfer, which could have been worth millions rupiah, should not be measured by the price.

"Let's just consider the good will of Arseto and Pelita Jaya to solve the problem," he said. (05)