Or going to Chelsea 
Dorset Gooner
04-25-2013, 09:03 AM
One of the world’s most expensive footballers has found himself in a 7 million court dispute with a London property tycoon over his Lebanese girlfriend.
Barcelona and former Arsenal footballer Cesc Fabregas was embroiled into a divorce settlement at the Court of Appeal yesterday, over a 7 million Belgravia apartment in London.
Property Tycoon Elie Taktouk is contesting a court settlement that requires him to pay out to provide a home for his ex-wife. He’s claiming that her new boyfriend – the multi-millionaire Mr Fabregas - is financially supporting Daniella Semaan.
Mr Taktouk claims that, while their divorce was going through, Ms Semaan understated the financial support she will now get from Mr Fabregas – who is believed to earn 5 million-a-year.
Her evidence during the case led to Mr Justice Coleridge ruling that the 7 million flat, where she used to live with her ex-husband, should be sold. The profit from the sale and a top-up payment from Mr Taktouk, would provide the 1.4 million Ms Seamaan needs for a new home.
However, the case took an obscure twist yesterday, when a company controlled by Mr Fabregas put a 5.4 million bid on the Upper Belgrave Street flat.
Mr Taktouk’s barrister, Stephen Lyon, said: “Mr Fabregas, we say, is quite clearly a resource of far greater significance than the wife let on in the course of her evidence.
“We say it is rather extraordinary that, less than three weeks after judgment was handed down, through his company in Barcelona, he was offering to purchase the flat.”
Mr Taktouk and Ms Semaan divorced after pictures surfaced in the media showing the 38-year-old Lebanese mother -of-two, on holiday in Italy with the former Arsenal superstar last year.
Mr Taktouk says if the sale went through it could mean his ex-wife gets to stay in the flat and also make a 1.4 million profit from the sale.
Three weeks ago, at the High Court Ms Semaan argued that Mr Fabregas’ obligations were only to the child of the couple, and that she was receiving little financial support from the midfielder. As a result, Mr Justice Coleridge, ruled that the property tycoon must sell the London flat in order to award his ex-wife a 1.4 million cash settlement.
At the Court of Appeal yesterday, Lord Justice Jackson told Mr Taktouk that he had no grounds on which to claim that Mr Justice Coleridge’s previous assessment of the Ms Semaan’s financial position was in any way wrong.
The Judge said: “No doubt he will support the child, but the long term support of Mr Fabregas for the wife is not something which could be counted on.
“Even if the company controlled by Mr Fabregas buys the former matrimonial home, this will still not be a property which the wife owns.
“She will live there only by the permission of Mr Fabregas and the fact that his company has made an offer - an insufficient offer, it would seem - does not materially change the facts as they were before Mr Justice Coleridge.”
Despite the appeal, the flat will now be sold and the proceeds will go towards paying off the cash settlement, as ruled in the previous trial at the High Court.
Barcelona and former Arsenal footballer Cesc Fabregas was embroiled into a divorce settlement at the Court of Appeal yesterday, over a 7 million Belgravia apartment in London.
Property Tycoon Elie Taktouk is contesting a court settlement that requires him to pay out to provide a home for his ex-wife. He’s claiming that her new boyfriend – the multi-millionaire Mr Fabregas - is financially supporting Daniella Semaan.
Mr Taktouk claims that, while their divorce was going through, Ms Semaan understated the financial support she will now get from Mr Fabregas – who is believed to earn 5 million-a-year.
Her evidence during the case led to Mr Justice Coleridge ruling that the 7 million flat, where she used to live with her ex-husband, should be sold. The profit from the sale and a top-up payment from Mr Taktouk, would provide the 1.4 million Ms Seamaan needs for a new home.
However, the case took an obscure twist yesterday, when a company controlled by Mr Fabregas put a 5.4 million bid on the Upper Belgrave Street flat.
Mr Taktouk’s barrister, Stephen Lyon, said: “Mr Fabregas, we say, is quite clearly a resource of far greater significance than the wife let on in the course of her evidence.
“We say it is rather extraordinary that, less than three weeks after judgment was handed down, through his company in Barcelona, he was offering to purchase the flat.”
Mr Taktouk and Ms Semaan divorced after pictures surfaced in the media showing the 38-year-old Lebanese mother -of-two, on holiday in Italy with the former Arsenal superstar last year.
Mr Taktouk says if the sale went through it could mean his ex-wife gets to stay in the flat and also make a 1.4 million profit from the sale.
Three weeks ago, at the High Court Ms Semaan argued that Mr Fabregas’ obligations were only to the child of the couple, and that she was receiving little financial support from the midfielder. As a result, Mr Justice Coleridge, ruled that the property tycoon must sell the London flat in order to award his ex-wife a 1.4 million cash settlement.
At the Court of Appeal yesterday, Lord Justice Jackson told Mr Taktouk that he had no grounds on which to claim that Mr Justice Coleridge’s previous assessment of the Ms Semaan’s financial position was in any way wrong.
The Judge said: “No doubt he will support the child, but the long term support of Mr Fabregas for the wife is not something which could be counted on.
“Even if the company controlled by Mr Fabregas buys the former matrimonial home, this will still not be a property which the wife owns.
“She will live there only by the permission of Mr Fabregas and the fact that his company has made an offer - an insufficient offer, it would seem - does not materially change the facts as they were before Mr Justice Coleridge.”
Despite the appeal, the flat will now be sold and the proceeds will go towards paying off the cash settlement, as ruled in the previous trial at the High Court.