Midnight Paperwork Failure Blocks Akieme’s Move
Levante is taking its fight to the highest level of world football.
Sporting director Héctor Rodas announced that the club will fight “whatever it takes” before FIFA to secure the registration of defender Sergio Akieme.
The transfer saga unfolded late Tuesday evening. Levante officials negotiated a loan agreement to bring Akieme to Valencia from French club Stade de Reims.
According to club statements, an agreement was reached during the night. However, the official registration request arrived past the midnight deadline, prompting LaLiga to reject the submission.
Office Congestion and RFEF Bottlenecks
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Rodas explained that administrative bottlenecks contributed to the missed deadline.
He noted that the Royal Spanish Football Federation offices were heavily congested.
Levante Takes the Battle to FIFA
Refusing to accept the initial administrative block, Levante plans to take its case directly to world football’s governing body.
“There are processes that do not depend on us, but on the three parties, the RFEF was saturated and everything happened in a way that it did not enter in time and form,” Rodas said, as reported by EFE.
“We are going to fight in FIFA so that the player can be with us. We are going to appeal and fight whatever it takes.”
Precedent and the Free Agent Market
The club is banking on a precedent of administrative leniency.
Rodas pointed out that the league has shown flexibility regarding registration timelines in previous transfer windows. He expressed hope that a similar approach might apply to their situation.
Despite the setback with Akieme, the Levante sporting leadership remains active in the player market.
Rodas confirmed that the club stays open to acquiring an unattached free agent if a suitable opportunity emerges to bolster the squad following the closure of the traditional transfer window.
Related reading
