Football agent Saif Alrubie, 45, has gone on trial for allegedly sending a threatening email to Marina Granovskaia, the former Chelsea director, over the transfer of star Kurt Zouma. Alrubie is accused of emailing Granovskaia demanding payment for his role in the £29 million deal to sell Zouma to West Ham in 2021.
Granovskaia, 49, left Chelsea in 2022 after almost 20 years at the club. Alrubie, from Fulham, West London, is on bail and denies one charge under the Malicious Communications Act.
The jury was sworn in at London’s Southwark crown court on Monday, ahead of a one-week trial starting Tuesday. Zouma has scored three times for the Hammers this season.
In 2022, Zouma was filmed kicking his cat like a football across his kitchen floor. The Premier League star, 27, was also seen slapping his pet’s face. The club condemned Zouma’s actions and fined him £250,000, which they stated was the maximum fine they were able to hand out.
The West Ham defender was seen attacking the pet at his £2 million mansion while his brother filmed him.
