From BBC sport
Cardiff claim transfer ban lifted
Cardiff City claim the Football League have lifted their transfer embargo.
The sanction was imposed on the Welsh club in May due to a delay in paying a £1.3m PAYE to HM Revenue and Customs and other football related debts.
But Cardiff insist the Football League is satisfied the debts have been paid so boss Dave Jones can register his three summer signings.
"The embargo is off," Jones told BBC Sport. "That has all been sorted so we are now able to register players."
The Football League was not available for an official comment but the Championship club insist the embargo has been removed.
BBC Sport understands the club are now finalising registration for their three summer recruits, which requires Premier League, Football League and Football Association of Wales approval. And the Bluebirds now hope to register goalkeeper Tom Heaton and loan midfield duo Jason Koumas and Danny Drinkwater with the Football League on Friday so the trio are eligible for Sunday's Championship opener with Sheffield United.
And manager Jones can bolster his defeated Championship play-off finalists as he bids to make it third time lucky as Cardiff chase their Premier League dream.
"It has been frustrating for everybody," said Jones. "But the club worked hard to get it removed and we are grateful for it."
Cardiff, who remain between £15m and £30m in debt, suffered their first transfer embargo at the end of last season yet still qualified for the Championship play-off final.
The Bluebirds faced five winding-up orders at the High Court over an unpaid £1.9m debt to the taxman before it as ultimately cleared in June.
Now Cardiff face a fresh winding-up order at the High Court on 11 August over this new £1.3m PAYE bill.
But the Championship club claim the debt is paid - and the Football League's relaxing of the embargo would to back that up - but Cardiff will need to attend the High Court in London for the HMRC action to be formally dismissed.
The delay in lodging end of-year accounts and because of money owed to the brokers of defender Mark Hudson's £1m move from Charlton to Cardiff last summer also accounted for the Football League sanction.
But Jenkins is delighted that the embargo has been lifted so Jones can strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.
"It has been challenging but we are pleased the embargo has been lifted," Cardiff chief executive Gethin Jenkins told BBC Sport
"It means we can register the players we've already brought in. "And Dave Jones will now come forward with a list of other players he is looking to recruit to strengthen the playing squad.
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"Our aim is to keep the starting XI from last season and Dave and I hope to add to that list."
Cardiff have been linked with a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Andy Keogh and although Jones would not confirm his targets, the manager now hopes to sign reinforcements in time for their visit to Derby County on Saturday week.
"The embargo being lifted is too late for us to get the players in we want for Sunday's game," said Jones.
"But hopefully next week we can move a bit quicker and start to register some players that we are trying to get."
But Jenkins, Cardiff's recently acquired chief executive who arrived from the Newport Gwent Dragons rugby region in May, has warned the club could suffer a third transfer ban.
"We will have to face further challenges and we're fully aware of them," said Jenkins.
"And we will meet them head on to bring the business onto a strong commercial and financial footing. Then hopefully we can grow the team and grow the business." "But we can't rule out another embargo, that is certainly a possibility."
Story from BBC SPORT:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/sport1/hi...ity/8890430.stm
Published: 2010/08/06 09:46:16 GMT
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