Real Salt Lake striker Victor Olatunji has come under scrutiny in his home country following allegations by his grassroots academy that he is delaying the processing of their Fifa training compensation, despite having spent six formative years at the club.

Olatunji, who rose to continental prominence during the 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League campaign with AC Sparta Prague, scored two goals and registered an assist in eight appearances. 

Although his impressive displays were not enough to push the Czech side into the knockout stages, they earned him a move to Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake during the summer transfer window.

However, the 26-year-old forward is now embroiled in a dispute involving Lasora-Agarawu Soccer Academy/FC, the Ilorin-based grassroots club where he began his football career before joining Lagos Islanders and eventually moving to Europe.

In an interview with allnigeriasoccer.com, the Sporting Director of Lasora-Agarawu, Mr. Bello Lasoro Abubakar Ola, accused Olatunji of frustrating efforts to secure training compensation and solidarity payments due to the academy from the player’s international transfers. 

Fifa regulations entitle grassroots clubs to compensation for the development of players between the ages of 12 and 23.

Mr. Bello narrated how the academy discovered and nurtured Olatunji, recalling their first encounter during a community outreach event in Agubelewo:

“Yes, Victor Olatunji is a very cool player. My first encounter was during our social program in an area in Agubelewo. He used to dance. During Christmas we do social activities like health and other social programs’” he revealed. 

“Later he said that he can play football and we went to his mom because his dad is not around. His mom endorsed the form and we started training him in 2007.”

He described Olatunji as “coachable,” with “brilliant performance” and an ability to understand the rhythm of football. 

According to him, the player officially joined the academy in 2011 and graduated in 2017 before moving to Lagos Islanders, who facilitated his transfer abroad.

Bello explained that the academy began pursuing their entitlements around 2018 but faced setbacks after Fifa initially indicated that Olatunji was registered as being on loan from a Nigerian club, which meant no international transfer occurred at the time. 

The academy waited until his later move from Slovan Liberec, which finally triggered the notification of an eligible international transfer.

“It is something we have been trying to work on for the past three years and see whether we can resolve the situation. He joined the academy in 2011 and graduated from the academy in 2017.

“The academy can only get training compensation and we have been on it for quite a long time.

“I can remember in 2018 or 2019, the Academy's legal team activities wrote to FIFA and replied that he was on loan from a club in Nigeria, which means there is no international transfer. We received the reply of the letter and decided to wait.

“I think he plays in Slovakia, Austria, and AEK Larnaca in Cyprus. When he transferred from Slovan Liberec in Croatia that is when we got the notification that he has made an official international transfer. 

“Then we started to make efforts to get our dividends which is the solidarity and training compensation. We wrote to the individual clubs that are involved and try to get in touch with the NFF.”

The Academy submitted parental consent forms and other documentation to support their claim but insists that Olatunji’s endorsement remains the final hurdle.

Bello said attempts to secure the signature through Olatunji’s father were unsuccessful:

“We introduced him to Lagos Islanders and they initiated his transfer to Europe,” he added. 

“We reached out to FIFA through TMS. We also reach out to them through e-mail and FIFA let us know that they have shared the solidarity but we still have our training compensation.”

“So we have to contact our federation and the federation said the player should endorse the years, because they asked how many teams he plays with?”

“And we tendered the form that is the parental consent (the Power of Attorney). He also played for us in the Nationwide League and the Super League organized by Kwara FA.

“We requested from 2011 to 2017. So we sent a letter to his dad last year and there was a kind of round table discussion, his dad came around, we have a discussion with family friends and our lawyers.

“We have a very good discussion because we have to think about the players future. We send the letter to his dad last year and he didn't respond. And we send another one this year and he didn't respond.

“He said he didn't know anything about it. So help us send it to him because he would understand and let him endorse.”

The Sporting Director believes the delay is preventing the academy from accessing funds crucial to its development initiatives:

“I don't know what they are planning but they are yet to endorse the letter for us to get our training compensation.”

Reacting to the allegations, Olatunji’s father, Niyi Olatunji, distanced himself from the matter, insisting he is not involved in football and cannot make decisions on behalf of the player.

“I don't know anything about football. People who understand football between themselves should discuss between themselves. I have told the him (Mr. Bellow),” he said.

He explained that his line of work is unrelated to sports:

“I deal with tractor and equipment. I am not into the system. Let me ask the people involved in the football system.”

When asked if he could at least direct the academy to someone responsible for the player’s affairs, he maintained that the academy already knows the appropriate channels:

“The coach knows who he is meant to speak with.”

Despite the denial, the academy insists it has fulfilled all requirements and only needs the player’s endorsement of his development years to unlock the payment. 

Adeyemi Adewale