EFL club given immediate January transfer embargo after ‘tinpot’ administrative delay

Cardiff City have been placed under a transfer embargo by the EFL after the club failed to submit their annual accounts.

The League One side will not be able to sign players in January until the situation is resolved.

The Welsh team are aiming for an immediate return to the Championship after relegation last season.

Cardiff, currently top of the third tier, said the embargo was due to a “short administrative delay”.

They told the BBC it should be lifted by the end of next week, although the EFL has yet to comment.

Under EFL rules, clubs are required to submit their annual accounts for the 2024/25 financial year by December 31 – and it appears Cardiff failed to meet that deadline.

Football finance expert Kieran Maguire was asked on social media whether the embargo was caused by an “oversight” and replied: “If so, [that’s] a bit of nonsense.

The Bluebirds have also insisted this will have no impact on their transfer plans this month, despite a number of players having already left.

Luey Giles, Will Spiers and Dakarai Mafico were loaned out, while goalkeeper Jak Alnwick signed a permanent deal with Huddersfield Town.

Manager Brian Barry-Murphy recently admitted that the squad needs more depth at the full-back position.

Earlier this week he said: “Joel [Bagan] did very, very well for us this season. But Luey Giles has gone out on loan so we recognize we may need some help in that area of our squad.”