Wilfried Bony wins latest round of legal battle with former agents

Premier League footballer Wilfried Bony has won the latest round of a legal battle with two former agents.

Bony claims Gilbert Kacou and Dalibor Lacina - plus companies they ran - received "secret commissions" totalling more than £8 million from Swansea City between July 2013 and February 2015 when involved in his contract negotiations.

He has also accused Mr Kacou of "fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation".

The two agents had asked a judge to halt the litigation, saying the dispute should be settled by arbitration under FA rules.

Bony objected and said there was no arbitration agreement.

Judge Mark Pelling refused to halt the litigation, ruling in favour of the 28-year-old striker, who comes from the Ivory Coast, after a High Court hearing in Manchester.

The judge published a written judgment on Monday after analysing evidence in July.

Bony joined Swansea in July 2013 before moving to Manchester City in January 2015.

He subsequently moved to Stoke City on loan then rejoined Swansea last week.

Judge Pelling said Bony had taken legal action against Mr Kacou, Mr Lacina, two companies they ran and Swansea City after complaining about "secret commissions".

But the judge said only the two agents and the two companies they ran had featured in the latest stage of the fight.

He said lawyers representing the two agents and the two companies had asked him to halt the litigation.