The midfielder spent four years at Tottenham Hotspur, but the internal London switch to QPR last summer is the platform of a rather unusual problem for both the player and his current club Queens Park Rangers
The source of the problem was paperwork related to the 2014 transfer. Whilst the work permit itself was granted successfully, it does not apply without an updated visa, which QPR failed to apply for related to the transfer.
This basically means that Sandro has played the entire season without a work permit, without either the club or the player being aware of the issue until May 7th by the Home Office. In the short term, this meant the player being pulled out of the squads for the rest of the season, but the long-term consequences might be even more severe.
Transfer trouble
For now, QPR have had their license to sign non-EU players suspended, whilst Sandro himself is finding himself in his native Brazil. "It has given QPR 20 working days – the first of which was last Thursday – to make written submissions in response to the suspension" writes The Guardian. The Home Office would then have a further 20 working days to decide about the permit.
Whether the Home Office takes the hard line and completely denies Sandro the permit is yet to be seen, but nonetheless there will be an issue related to his contract. After all, the physical midfielder is on £50.000 a week - a significant lot for a Premier League club, let alone one in the Championship like QPR - with two more years to go on the deal.
QPR have, however, not broken any rules on solely football matters, as the 26-year-old was properly registered for playing in the Premier League, so neither the club or the player can be retrospectively punished in that respect.