The French handball representative Nikola Karabatic left Kiel and joined the French Montpellier together with the Slovenian Vido Kavticnik, reports the German handball club on Tuesday.

Karabatic (25) has not been hiding his will to leave the German club for a few months. It is not known for how much money he transferred to the French club. Kiel claims that they tried to do everything to keep the handball star, whose contract expires in 2012.

The French citizen, and the best handball player in the world, came to the German club and champion’s league in 2007. The relations between Karabatic and Kiel worsened at the end of last year, when the heads of the club decided, despite promises given to the Frenchman, cancel their contract with coach Noko Serdarusic. Very close to his coach, Karabatic did not initially want to go to Loewen, which Serdarusic was scheduled to train, but Serdarusic gave up on that due to medical reasons.

Another reason why Katabatic might be leaving is the scandal of bribing referees who were involved in the German club.