Lassana Diarra must pay a €10million fine to former club Lokomotiv Moscow after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled he had breached his contract.
The former Chelsea and Real Madrid star joined Lokomotiv from Anzhi Makhachkala during the 2013-14 season, but refused to turn up for training following a salary cut and a fallout with head coach Leonid Kuchuk – who was sacked in August 2014 – and went on to quit the club.
Lokomotiv took the case to FIFA and the midfielder then spent 15 months out of football without pay prior to joining Marseille last July as he was initially unable to join another team after his exit because of the contract dispute.
CAS has now ruled Diarra must pay €10m to the Russian Premier League club as well as €110,000 in court costs, with the player accepting the decision.
Diarra, 31, announced the verdict himself on Twitter, adding: "I take note of CAS' decision and I want to thank all the people that have backed me during this difficult time.
"As I have said, it has been a challenge and I would not wish that on any other player.
"I accept it and take full responsibility, as I have always done in the past. It is a closed chapter and it is now time for me to concentrate on the France team at the Euros which takes place in my country."
Diarra is in France's Euro 2016 squad after a bounce-back season with Marseille which saw him named in the Ligue 1 Team of 2015-16.
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