Manchester City Reported to FIFA by Velez Sarsfield over Benjamin Garre Signing

Manchester City have been reported to FIFA for allegedly breaching rules on the transfer of minors and accused of attempting the "trafficking" of a schoolboy.

In relation to the July signing of 16-year-old midfielder Benjamin Garre—whom City signed ahead of competition from Barcelona and Manchester United—Argentinian side Velez Sarsfield said the Sky Blues tried to sign him when he was still 15, per the Telegraph's Ben Rumsby.

Rumsby added that Velez have lodged a formal complaint, saying that the approach of a player under 16 breaches FIFA rules on minors, as Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have all discovered to their cost.

Velez's president, Raul Gamez, strongly condemned City's actions, per Rumsby: 

"

Never have I experienced such an immoral act.

They offered ­money to take a 15-year-old child who is in the middle of his stage of development. We don’t know what they ­offered the father and the child in order to convince them.

In Velez, we defend values and we act in good faith. We are not interested in collecting €50,000 or €1,000,000 if said action is prohibited and may affect the player.

What is most important in these cases is the formation and development of the child, in a supportive environment, above economic or strictly sports interests. It is crazy to think that our youngsters can find themselves in a situation of vulnerability or abuse in a foreign country, without their family or somebody to protect them.

We consider Manchester City is a club that cannot violate the regulations of FIFA and even less act with bad faith. We are interested in protecting the child we have been educating since he was 11 and therefore, if necessary, we will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"

Per Sky Sports News HQ's Rebecca Williams, City deny any wrongdoing:

In their defence, they claimed that Garre holds an Italian passport, entitling him to join the Sky Blues after his 16th birthday.

The youngster, who had a trial with United two years ago, has previously represented Argentina at under-15 level.

Two-window transfer bans have been handed to Real, Atleti and Barca in recent years for breaching rules over the transfer of minors.

Per Rumsby, Velez claimed to be "confident" FIFA will punish City in the same way they did the three La Liga giants.