Ibrahim Kone, the President of Etoile Sportive d’Abobo, claims the Monaco striker, currently on loan at Amiens AC, changed his age and identity in the mid-noughties.
Kone told French radio station RFI: "In 2005, I recruited Lacina Traore who was then called Traore Menene. Then, he was signed by Stade d’Abidjan. And to my great surprise, he had changed his age and his first name.
"This problem has persisted for 13 years… it is not fair from in a sporting sense and this is why I am bringing a legal case against him."
Kone is intent on pursuing the case because, as per FIFA rules, a club gets a five percent cut of future transfer fees when he is developed there between the ages of 12 and 23. Therefore, Kone feels Abobo should be getting a slice of Traore's historical transfer fees.
The Abobo president claims that Traore played for his club, but they do not feature on his official football passport.
He added: “I know a lot of things that can prove that he did indeed play for our club. We need to find a solution. I am waiting for the federation to repair this injustice. If this is not resolved, I will take my case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport."
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