The future of Yaser Asprilla became even more unclear overnight as Colombian football agency Synerjoy Soccer claimed they have the sole rights to represent the Watford forward – and not the two men pictured with him in recent days.

Asprilla has not been back at London Colney since the end of the Copa America, where Colombia reached the final, and rumours that he will leave the club have heightened since as he has been seen on social media in a private jet, and also walking out of an airport in France.

On both occasions, he was pictured with agent Jhonathan Herrera of JHSeven Sports Company, as well as a further agent understood to be Giancarlo Uda.

However, in an email sent directly to the Watford Observer overnight – and in a tweet – Synerjoy Soccer say they have a contract to represent the player until 2026, and have started legal proceedings against Herrera and Uda.

“It is important to highlight that we are currently involved in a criminal dispute with a complaint filed in Spain against Jhonatan Herrera and Giancarlo Uda,” said Alejandro Blanco Toro, CEO of Synerjoy.

“Should this not be resolved, it could lead to complications for the player and his family in Colombia, as there is a contract in force until November 2026 with the player and his parents.”

 

Synerjoy also sent a copy of the registration of their contract with Asprilla that was lodged with the Colombian Football Federation, and date-stamped as received on December 7, 2021.

Meanwhile, on Twitter, the agency has uploaded a picture of a contract from 2021, apparently signed by Asprilla, his father Macario Asprilla Rivas, his mother Marlyn Asprilla Martinez, and Blanco Toro on behalf of Synerjoy.

In their tweet, they say: “The current contract of the footballer #YaserAsprilla with @SynerjoyS. We are the only agency that has the representation rights with the athlete of @WatfordFC.”

Moves for Asprilla to the likes of Barcelona, Arsenal and even Saudi Arabia have swirled around all summer, but more recently he has been linked with Rennes, Girona and Leicester City.

In an interview with Sky Sports yesterday, Watford’s sporting director Gianluca Nani said of Asprilla: “We would like to keep him. At the moment he is our player. We are happy to keep him.

“At the same time, if a top club comes and makes the player happy and the club happy, we can sit down and consider. But we don’t need to sell him.

“We will sell him if we believe there can be a really good step forward for the boy and for the club.”

Now the question is who exactly represents the 20-year-old, and what could happen if a deal were signed that not all parties agreed to.

Watford FC and JHSeven Sports Company have been contacted for comment.