Steed Malbranque has terminated his contract with St Etienne a day after his representatives denied reports he had retired to care for an ill family member. Reports emerged from France over the weekend, which were repeated in a number of British publications, claiming Malbranque, who joined Les Verts this summer, had decided to quit as his young son was suffering from cancer. However, solicitors working on the instruction of the 31-year-old's agent, Sebastien Boisseau, have since made clear the Frenchman does not have a son and that no member of his immediate family was in ill health. On Tuesday morning, though, St Etienne issued a further statement revealing Malbranque and the club have decided to terminate his contract by mutual agreement. The statement read: "At a meeting held Monday night between the management of AS St Etienne and Steed Malbranque, both parties have decided, by mutual agreement, to amicably end their collaboration. "St Etienne and the player would like to strongly deny all the rumours referring to the health of Steed Malbranque or children that accompanied the decision of the individual. "This choice is his alone and ASSE fully respects Steed's will. The management of AS St Etienne would like to wish Steed the best in his choices and his future life." Malbranque's switch to St Etienne last month ended a ten-year stay in English football, during which time he made a total of 336 Premier League appearances. After impressing at Lyon following his professional debut for the club in 1998, Malbranque secured a move to Fulham in 2001 and went on to make over 200 appearances for the west London outfit. Malbranque transferred to Spurs in the summer of 2006, going on to make over 60 appearances, before joining Sunderland in 2008. The malicious bastard who started all this off, must have a head full of mad dogs ****e. needs putting down.
I actually read before the sick rumours came out that Steed's contract had been negotiated by his father and that the terms were pretty woeful compared to what he was expecting! As a result Steed pleaded to be released from it. Still his own fault surely for appointing his dad to look after this if he is not particularly clued up on such business but a strange one all the same. I am sure there is more to this story!
Im sure there is, like all Sunderland fans, just wanted him to do well, not have all this bullshit, his mind must be full of broken biscuits right now.
Didn't do a bad job negotiating a contract with us - wasn't he our top earner? Think your last line is right.
