Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid given transfer bansBy Stephen Turner
Last Updated: 14/01/16 12:57pm
Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have been banned from registering players between next month and the summer of 2017.Both clubs have been punished by FIFA's disciplinary committee for breaching regulations governing the transfer of players under the age of 18.
The bans do not affect the current window, but neither club will be able to bring in new signings in the summer or next January.And, according to Sky Sports' Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, FIFA's verdict means Real will no longer entertain offers for the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema before next year.
He tweeted: "The Real Madrid plan to recycle the side (and accept offers for Ronaldo and Benzema, for instance) will have to wait to the summer 2017."
Barcelona have recently completed a punishment for a similar offence having failed to overturn their ban at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Their appeal did delay the ban, allowing them to sign the likes of Luis Suarez in the summer of 2014 before the sanction kicked in.
Real and Atletico can go down a similar road, although Barca's initial punishment was handed down in April 14 and there is the possibility an appeals process this time could run its course before the summer window opens.
http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11827/10129745/real-madrid-and-atletico-madrid-given-transfer-bans