Hull City have failed in their appeal to sign Yannis Salibur from Guingamp. After a reported fee of £9million was agreed on deadline day with the Ligue 1 outfit, the Tigers were all but set to welcome their new man. However, a delay in processing the paperwork meant the transfer did not go through in time.
Having appealed to FIFA over the issue, Hull's attempts have been refuted by the governing body and as such the move has been called off. Salibur, who has scored five goals in 21 league appearances for Guingamp this season, was saved a slot in Hull's 25 man Premier League squad in the hope that his transfer would successfully be completed.
According to Guingamp president Bertran Desplat, the failure to complete the transfer was due to City's mistake.
"We forwarded all the documents at 11:57pm and Hull at 11:59pm, but incomplete. Perhaps there was a lack of coolness on their side," Desplat explained.
"After that, schedules are schedules. If you have minor differences between what is required and what is sent, it can be corrected the next day with FIFA. It depends on how incomplete it is" he concluded.
With Hull anguishing dangerously in the relegation scrap, an addition to their forward line could have proved vital come the end of the season. Salibur's stats this season prove he is capable of chipping in with goals while adding a physical presence to the midfield. Thus, FIFA's decision to not grant the transfer could have huge implications for Marco Silva's side. Nonetheless, the Tigers enjoyed a relatively productive transfer window, securing several new faces in what was a very thin squad at the beginning of the season.
While star man Robert Snodgrass made the move across to West Ham, Poland winger Kamil Grosicki, Inter Milan defender Andrea Ranocchia and Villarreal midfielder Alfred N'Diaye have bolstered the side's numbers as they look to stave off relegation and retain their spot in England's first division.
Despite the setback, with both parties clearly keen on a deal, it's surely only a matter of time before we see Salibur in City colours with a summer move likely.