Atletico may try to keep Griezmann after transfer ban upheld by CAS

At leti co Madrid’ s transfer ban was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport yesterday, a blow to Manchester United’ shop es of signing Antoine Griezmann.

The Fifa ban prevents Atletico from registering new players until January. They hadlined up Lyon forward Alexandre Lacaz et teas a potential replacement for France forward Griezmann.

“Thisruling is unfair and cause san irreparable damage to our club ,” Atletico said in a statement.

Fifa imposed a one- year ban on Atletico last year for signing dozens of youth players inbreach of rules that prevent international child trafficking and luring youngsters from their home country.

Atletico denied wrongdoing, though it agreed not to sign players in the January transfer window while an appeal at CAS went ahead.

“With this decision, Fifa considers that C AShas shown once again clear and strong support for Fifa’s efforts to protect under age players ,” the world soccer body said in a statement.

Atletico can still sell Griezmann with Man United having been ready to pay a release clause in his contract report- edly of more than £ 85 million. Atletico would then have to cope with only their existing players for the group stage of t he Champions League and first half of the league season.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have also served transfer bans after signing youngsters from around the world. Those signings were all approved by the Spanish soccer federation, led by longtime Fifa vice president Angel Maria Villar.

The C AS judging panel acknowledged that “not all of the alleged violations of the Fifa regulations concerning the registration of minor players could be upheld”.

The panel cut the fine imposed by Fifa on At le tico to 550,000 Swiss francs (£440,000) from 900,000 Swiss francs (£ 717,000).

Two of the three - man CAS panel in At le ti co’ sc a se also sat in judgment of Barcelona’s appeal in 2014 and reached the same conclusion.