Atletico await transfer ban verdict as appeal is heard in Switzerland on Monday

Atletico Madrid are close to hearing the verdict of their transfer ban appeal after having their case heard in Switzerland on Monday. They could know as soon as Monday whether they can go ahead with their summers plan to upgrade the squad.

Atletico sent a three-man team to the European city of Lausanne in Switzerland including Clemente Villaverde, academy chief Emilio Gutierrez and lawyer Christian Keidel.

Keidel, speaking to AS earlier in the year, explained that both he and the club were confident that they could have the ban overturned much like Real Madrid did in December and they would base their argument on the one that got their city rivals off the hook in that the rule was not clearly and explicitly explained to them, according to ESPNFC’s Dermot Corrigan.

He said, “Basically the FIFA rule is you cannot sign young foreign players to protect these kids. But the rule does not stand when the player already lives in that country for another reason… most of their players are foreign, but were born in Spain.”

It could mean a busy summer for Atletico, who would be free to sign players and also sell some who have not worked out. If they can not bring in any new talent, it would be unlikely that they let any go for fear of being left short-handed with nobody to replace them.