RBNY, MLS quiet on Jan Gunnar Solli signing bonus

When Jan Gunnar Solli joined the New York Red Bulls in 2011, he took a pay cut to do so. In order to offset the loss of wages, the team said they would pay Solli a $250,000 signing bonus.

According to Norwegian news agency TV2, Solli never got the money.

TV2 says that the Red Bulls and Solli arranged the payment to go through former Denmark international Jacob Laursen, who the report claims, "worked as a talent scout and adviser for the American team."

Solli was shown proof by the Red Bulls that the money was paid to Laursen, but he never received the money. In March, Solli took the matter to court and won a ruling of $200,000 plus interest.

It would not be the first time Laursen would defraud anyone, either.

But, still why was Jacob Laursen working for the New York Red Bulls?

Could it be a reuniting of Laursen with Head Coach Hanse Backe? The pair were together at FC Copenhagen during the 2001-02 season, and the makeup of the Red Bulls in during Backe's time consisted of quite a few Scandinavians on the coaching and playing side.

The New York Red Bulls would not comment on the situation, and would not answer if Jacob Larsen was considered a team employee when Solli was signed.

A spokesperson from MLS told Once a Metro, the practice of giving signing bonuses is perfectly legal and the bonus will count toward the salary cap for the team.

MLS refused to comment on this alleged dispute, saying we should follow up with the New York Red Bulls.