Barcelona transfer ban suspended, club can sign players

Earlier this month FIFA announced that it had banned Barcelona from transferring players for the next two transfer windows due to breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18.

Such a decision would have prevented them from either buying or selling players until the summer of 2015.

However, Barcelona lodged an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee and asked for the ban to be suspended until the appeal process has been completed.

Due to the complexity of the issue, FIFA have granted the suspension.

FIFA said in a statement: "The club FC Barcelona has lodged an appeal before the FIFA Appeal Committee against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee that sanctioned the club for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18. Together with the appeal, the club requested that its appeal be granted suspensive effect.

"In this respect, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee, Larry Mussenden, took into consideration the sanctions imposed against the club, the complexity of the matter, the start date of the next registration period – 1 July 2014 – and the fact that the FIFA Appeal Committee does not seem in a position to take a decision on the main issue early enough so that an eventual appeal of the club against its decision before the Court of Arbitration for Sport would still be decided before the beginning of the next registration period. Consequently, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee considered that the appeal lodged by the club is to be granted suspensive effect.

"In view of the foregoing, the chairman of the FIFA Appeal Committee assures that proper and adequate appeal proceedings will take place and, at the same time, that all rights of the club will be respected."

Barcelona have also stated their intention to appeal via the Court of Arbitration for Sport should their appeal via FIFA fail.

This is huge news for Barcelona who need massive surgery in the summer. The Liga giants look set to finish the season without a trophy for the first time in six years, and fresh blood is needed urgently. Goalkeeper Victor Valdes announced his intention to leave the club before his serious injury, while iconic defender Carlos Puyol has also said he is leaving. The suspension of the transfer ban will allow the club to sign replacements and clear out some of the dead wood at the club - and means that they can get a bumper summer of business done with a view to potentially being banned from transfers in the January and the summer of 2015. Crucially, the manager's job also now becomes much more appealing for prospective new coaches if Tata Martino, as expected, gets fired.

Barcelona get spending! It is no secret that Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign Borussia Moenchengladbach keeper Marc Andre Ter Stegen for around £10m and the club have also announced the signing of 17-year-old Alen "Croatian Messi" Halilovic for £1.8m from Dinamo Zagreb. At least one centre-back will be signed too - Chelsea's David Luiz has been linked with the Catalans - while the club would probably stock up in other positions as the ban still hangs over their heads.

Barcelona fans can expect a new manager too, but who that is remains to be seen. Bookmakers seem to have no clue as to who might be next in charge, with Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp, Celta's Luis Enrique, Ajax's Frank De Boer, Atletico Madrid's Diego Simeone and even Premier League managers such as Arsene Wenger, Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers all reasonably high in the betting.