Liverpool’s agreement to bring striker Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo to Anfield has been blocked by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
A report in the Daily Mirror claims this is due to a row over the 25-year-old’s legal representation.
According to emails the newspaper claims to have seen, the Reds’ managing director Ian Ayre continued negotiating with unauthorised agents even after discovering he was not dealing with the player’s official FIFA-licensed representatives.
It is understood that Aspas has a contract with agents Jorge Santome and Carmelo Vicente until 2014, but was trying to engineer a move to Liverpool by enlisting the services of PromoEsport, a Barcelona-based agency.
Now, however, both Celta Vigo and the RFEF are believed to be so angry with Ayre’s conduct that they are refusing to release Aspas’ International Transfer Certificate, meaning the player would be unable to take part in official matches for the Reds without clearance.
The Mirror maintains Santome and Vicente are now taking legal action against PromoEsport, who are banned from Celta’s training complex and are alleged to have used the player’s brother to present Liverpool’s offer to the Galician outfit to hide their involvement.
Even so, a Liverpool spokesman is quoted as saying he is confident the deal will go ahead.
“There was a complication with the paperwork for the deal to be completed as both Football Associations need to release it, and we are waiting for that to happen.
“However, we are confident that will be done shortly.”
