Football League halt Foxes player moves

THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE have told Leicester City they still will not be able to sign new players, even if the proposed takeover by Gary Lineker's consortium brings the club out of administration.

The league have stated that The Foxes are not allowed to bring in new players to the Walkers Stadium until money for previous player deals is paid up.

The news will come as a blow to manager Micky Adams, who is keen to add two Premiership players to his high-flying Division One squad.

Adams is said to have lined up Birmingham City midfielder Bryan Hughes as one target but Manchester City's out-of-favour striker Darren Huckerby is not on the list.

The Foxes boss told his club's official website: "The Football League are still blocking our attempts to sign players.

"I am led to believe that but for a few legal documents that need to be signed we are out of administration - so I really don't see what the objection is.

"Everything is settled with the clubs and the players involved. We have got a couple of targets from Premiership clubs.

"One is a forward and one is a midfield player. We are just waiting for the green light now.

"Darren Huckerby is not one of those targets. He is a good player with a proven track record in the First Division - but he is rather expensive."

However, hopes of Adams bringing in his targets seem to have been scuppered by The Football League's decision to further punish the East Midlands outfit for their past financial mismanagement.

Football League spokesman John Nagle said: "We are taking a hard line because Leicester have failed to control their finances in the past.

"Hopefully, it won't happen again. But we can't risk the club being threatened by administration in the future, so we can't allow them to loan players.

"The club still owes money to their creditors and to allow them to sign players gives out the wrong message.

"Although they are almost out of administration, they are still tied to a CVA that may carry on to the end of the season and, unless there are extenuating circumstances, our position will remain the same.

"We hope to sit down with them in the near future to resolve the issue and to ensure it doesn't go beyond the end of the season."