Sociedad signing made to wait

Real Sociedad's recent signing Dalibor Stevanovic has been told he will have to wait until the January transfer window reopens before he can play for the club.

Sociedad snapped up the Slovenian starlet at the end of last month after beating off interest from the likes of Lazio and Bayer Leverkusen.

They were hoping to get permission to use the midfielder before January following the serious knee injury to Mikel Aranburu last weekend.

Spanish league rules stipulate players can be signed outside the transfer window to cover for long-term absentees, but it has now come to light those rules only apply for players signed from within Spain.

"The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) do study the possibility that, if a player is ruled out with a long-term injury, you can incorporate another in his place even though the transfer window is closed," read a statement on Real's official website.

"However, this is only allowed with players who move from Liga clubs as Fifa rules apply with signings from the rest of the European and world leagues.

"For this reason it will be January 2 when the Slovenian Federation send Stevanovic's papers."