ATLETICO MADRID HAVE HAD THEIR TRANSFER BAN UPHELD BY THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT AND IT COULD SCUPPER ANTOINE GRIEZMANN’S MOVE TO MANCHESTER UNITED.

The Spanish side had a transfer ban imposed on them in January 2016 for breaching rules regarding the transfer of minors. An appeal by Atletico has been thrown out and they will not be able to register any new players until January 2018.

The club announced this in a statement in an interview, which reads:

After the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed the appeal presented by Atlético de Madrid against the penalty imposed by FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee on the case of registering players under age and that was ratified by FIFA’s Appeal Committee, reducing the financial penalty, but maintaining the prohibition of registering licenses in the next transfer market period, our club wishes to state the following:

1. We consider that the decision to support the prohibition of registering players in a second period, corresponding to the summer of 2017, poses an unfair disadvantage and discriminatory treatment to our entity, since recently and in a similar case, the penalty was partially lifted, allowing to register players starting on July 1st. This ruling is unfair and causes an irreparable damage to our club.

2. The resolution has been communicated after the time limit established in the agreement signed by the parts, which finished yesterday, May 31st, 2017. This shows a lack of respect for our institution.

3. We want to reiterate that we have been penalised despite strictly complying with the Spanish legislation, as we have always processed all our licenses with Madrid’s Football Federation, as the Sports Law indicates.

4. Our sports planning for next season has contemplated at all times the two scenarios that could arise once CAS announced their decision. From this moment on, the club will move forward in the negotiations necessary to formalise the operations to register players from the 1st of January, when we will be authorized by FIFA to register new licenses.

5. We have full confidence in our current squad, with which we have won direct passage to the Champions League for the fifth year in a row and have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and the King’s Cup. The club has the commitment of the players and coaching staff to continue competing at the same level next season, despite this decision that is evidently detrimental to us. Together, team, club and supporters, we will continue to fight for our goals.

Although the transfer ban doesn’t prevent Atletico from selling players, it’s likely that stars like Griezmann will show loyalty to the club as they will be unable to replace him should he leave.

United could still go through with a bid for the player, and he will be free to talk to them should they meet his £86 million release clause.

Reports claimed that Griezmann recently gave his chances of a move to United 6/10, but those chances will be slimmer after today’s decision by the CAS.

The decision also ends the possibility of Diego Costa joining Atletico. It was recently reported manager Diego Simeone would move for the Chelsea striker as a replacement for Griezmann but any move will now be put on hold until at least next January.

Another player affected by this is Alexandre Lacazette. The Lyon striker was believed to have agreed a move to Spain, which now cannot happen. This could mean Arsenal being back in the race for the French international.