RIYADH: A FIFA ban on three Saudi football clubs from taking part in player transfer activities will remain in place until outstanding financial cases are settled, Arabic sports daily Arriyadiyah reported.
Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli, and Al-Raed remain on the international governing body’s list of clubs barred from doing business in the summer transfer window that opened on June 27.
The trio has yet to settle dues from previous seasons ahead of the start of the 2021-22 campaign.
According to Arriyadiyah sources, Al-Nassr is prohibited from registering any new players as it still has outstanding payments to Turkish club Fenerbahce for Giuliano de Paula, the Brazilian midfielder bought in 2018 but who returned to Turkey last season. The Riyadh club also owes $1.9 million to another Turkish club, Galatasaray, for the purchase of Brazilian defender Maicon Pereira last year.
Meanwhile, Al-Ahli needs to pay South Korean club Suwon Samsung Bluewings more than $500,000 for Bosnian midfielder Elvis Saric.
And Al-Raed owes $61,000 for the transfer of Egyptian defender Mohammed Atwa from Al-Ittihad in 2018.
Al-Tai, until recently another Saudi club on the banned list, has cleared its debts and has become free to sign players again.
The ban on the three clubs will remain in effect until the overdue payments are made and all legal procedures completed, as per FIFA rules.
