Sampdoria ordered to keep Cassano

Antonio Cassano will remain a Sampdoria player after a Serie A arbitration ruling stopped the club from tearing up his contract.

Cassano, 28, has been frozen out of the Genoa-based side after insulting club chairman Riccardo Garrone.

Sampdoria announced their intention to sever the controversial forward’s contract, but a Serie A arbitration ruling has ordered the club to reinstate the player to the first team squad from February 2011.

He will be forced to take a 50 percent pay cut, reducing his wages to 5.35 million euros a year.

“The arbitration panel has ruled to suspend Antonio Cassano from training and from receiving wages until January 31, 2011,” Sampdoria said in a statement.

“To reduce the player’s wages to 50 percent from February 1, 2011 until June 30, 2013, the date when his sporting contract ends. For Antonio Cassano to pay the legal costs involved in the proceedings.”

It remains to be seen if the player has a future at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris.

Cassano has been linked with a move to Serie A leaders AC Milan, along with reigning champions Inter Milan and Juventus.

Any potential transfer may be hindered by a five million euro payment that would be due to former club Real Madrid under the terms of his transfer to Sampdoria.

Cassano’s agent Giuseppe Bozzo believes there is little chance of the player remaining at Sampdoria.

“There are no winners or losers,” Bozzo said.

“There is the bitterness that there was before as it’s always difficult because it does not happen every day for a club to ask to rescind a player’s contract.”

“Even if the defence has done a great job, avoiding the contract being rescinded, this does not mean anything and now we will try to work together with Sampdoria and with its president Garrone to find a solution to the problem.”

“There is the winter transfer window to make use of in order to find a solution.”

In contrast to Bozzo’s negative outlook, Garrone left the door open for a comeback.

“After the decision that was taken, I can consider myself moderately satisfied,” Garrone said.

“Also certain is that this verdict leaves the door open to the possibility of reintegrating the player into the squad. I will talk about this aspect over the next few days.”