A lawyer negotiating the transfer of star striker Nwankwo Kanu to West Bromwich Albion paid £50,000 to an unlicensed agent, a tribunal heard.

Paul Okoye was given the cash by Kanu’s solicitor Ashton Doherty to help during the free transfer of the Nigerian international from Arsenal to The Hawthorns club in 2004.

It was claimed the former Baggies striker’s lawyer, who was paid a £70,000 fee by Albion, misused his position to act as an agent for Kanu and as a “front” for Okoye, signing documents for the move before splitting the cash with him.

Doherty, who had denied all allegations, was yesterday found guilty of acting in a way which compromised his or his profession’s good repute following a solicitors’ disciplinary hearing. Doherty was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £11,000 in costs. But he was cleared of sharing his professional fees after tribunal agreed that the £50,000 paid to Okoye was a commission payment. Regulations state that all player’s agents must be licensed – unless they are family members or practising lawyers. The tribunal was told Doherty, who was then working for Knowles Solicitors in central London, was using his position as a solicitor to act as the 33-year-old player’s agent.

The hearing was told the transfer went through in July 2004 after Okoye approached the club and there were a series of negotiations over the free transfer. The payments to Okoye were queried during FA investigations after Doherty, aged 35, sent the club an itemised invoice listing £50,000 paid to Okoye as “disbursements.”

Mr Ian Ryan, representing the Solicitors Regulatory Authority, said: “This respondent misused his position as a solicitor by taking advantage of the solicitors’ exception in FA regulations. He then acted as a front for an unlicensed agent – Mr Okoye – with whom he shared the fees paid to him.”

Doherty told the hearing that Okoye had not initiated the move of Kanu to West Brom and said the club had in fact approached Arsenal. He said Okoye had been used “mainly for translation services” and was being paid to “babysit” Kanu during his time at the club and helped the player with issues such as getting to training on time.

His solicitor David Morgan said: “He was somewhat naive. He apologises unreservedly to the tribunal and to the profession.”

Albion was not accused of any wrongdoing in relation to the transfer. A club statement said: “The club is aware of this matter and is glad it is being dealt with in the appropriate manner.”