FIFA hands Barcelona 14-month transfer ban
Thursday, April 3, 2014 @ 1:51 PM
FC Barcelona have been handed down a 14-month transfer ban by FIFA for breaking rules on signing international players under 18.
The club willnot be able to either buy or sell players until the summer of 2015 after the world governing body imposed a transfer ban for the next two windows.
They have also been fined 450,000 Swiss Francs (€370,000).
FIFA has also sanctioned the Spanish Football Federation for the same breaches and fined them 500,000 Swiss Francs (€410,000) and told the organisation to "regularise its regulatory framework and existing system concerning the international transfer of minors in football" within a year.
The ban will come as a bitter blow to Barcelona who were hoping to sign a new goalkeeper at the end of the season, when the long-serving Victor Valdés' contract comes to an end, and to sign a top-class replacement for veteran defender Carles Puyol.
The four-time European champions have been linked with Borussia Monchengladbach keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and agreed a deal to sign 17-year-old Croatia midfielder Alen Halilovic last week.
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