Cardiff City have received a major boost after Football League bosses reduced the controversial transfer ban imposed on the Bluebirds.
The three-window embargo EFL chiefs had insisted upon has been brought down to just two following intensive negotiations between Cardiff, their lawyers and League bosses.
The news means that new manager Erol Bulut will be free to spend money on players in January, Cardiff owner Vincent Tan likely to release the purse strings if the club are around the top 10 and in with a chance of making the promotion play-offs.
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Bulut can still only sign free transfers or bring players in on loan this summer, but it is an outcome Cardiff are 'extremely pleased' with.
Despite the current restriction, the club are eyeing what we are told are some 'exciting' captures in the coming weeks as Bulut looks to strengthen the squad he has inherited.
Cardiff will then reassess in January with the freedom to buy new players to bolster the team further.
The Football League imposed their three window embargo because Cardiff did not pay on time the first £5million instalment to Nantes of the £15m transfer fee for Emiliano Sala. FIFA lifted their ban when Tan came up with the initial fee in January, but the League stubbornly, and much to Cardiff's annoyance, stuck to their guns with a three window transfer ban of their own.
Cardiff always felt this was grossly unfair and chairman Mehmet Dalman and club lawyer Chris Nott of Capital Law have fiercely fought the Bluebirds corner behind the scenes.
That hard work has paid off with Cardiff persuading the League to agree a compromise because of the 'exceptional circumstances' of the case.
It means that if Cardiff are challenging anywhere near the top 10 by January, Tan is able to fund a Bulut splurge into the transfer market to strengthen the team further.
Bulut is still new to the job and only just getting to know the players, the weak points and where the team needs bolstering. He plans to bring in a number of men from abroad in the coming weeks, but will wish to put the final pieces of the jigsaw together in January when he has had an opportunity to look at the side properly over half a season.
A statement from the Bluebirds read: "The three-window fee restriction, previously in place, has been reduced to a two-window fee restriction.
"Cardiff City Football Club has already served one window fee restriction in January 2023. It will therefore be eligible to pay fees once again for transfers during the January 2024 transfer window.
"The club's summer 2023 player recruitment plan has already been prepared for some time with this potential ruling in mind. Cardiff City Football Club are extremely pleased with this decision, which recognises the exceptional set of circumstances the cub finds itself in.
"We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Capital Law for their support throughout this process."
Cardiff are waiting for a FIFA judgement on when they have to pay the next two instalments of the Sala fee. The Bluebirds are hoping FIFA agree to a delay, pending the outcome of a £100million-plus damages claim Cardiff are making against Nantes in the French courts.
If FIFA say the money must be released imminently, Cardiff have 20 days to pay to avoid a fine and 30 days to avoid a further transfer embargo.
However, it is understood the club are in a better position to pay that money if FIFA make that call.
Whatever, the Bluebirds are pressing ahead with the civil litigation against the French club and have previously stated "FC Nantes must be held responsible for the accident."
An initial pre-trial hearing started in the French courts on Thursday. Cardiff are looking to cover the fee paid for Sala as well as other "damages for further consequential losses."
Cardiff and their then manager Neil Warnock are adamant record signing Sala would have scored the goals to keep Wales' capital city club in the Premier League. In the end they finished third from bottom, just two points adrift of Brighton.
After a couple of woeful seasons, with rookie bosses Steve Morison and Mark Hudson and then Sabri Lamouchi at the helm, things are suddenly looking much brighter for the Bluebirds.
Fans appear excited by the visionary appointment of Bulut, who was managing football giants Fenerbache just two seasons ago and who has had success in the Turkish game.
Bulut plans to use his contacts to bring in some good summer captures from the continent, while it appears Cardiff's hierarchy have re-engaged again with the fans who were understandably left demoralised by two seasons of struggle at the foot of the table, a lack of home wins and some turgid football on show.
The season ticket figure for the 2023-24 Championship campaign has already soared through the 13,000 mark, even though they have only been on sale a matter of weeks and despite the woeful couple of seasons fans have just endured. Cardiff chairman Dalman predicts plenty more will be taken up once some of the summer signings are unveiled.
The Bluebirds kick off the upcoming season with a huge Sunday August 6 fixture against Leeds United at Elland Road, followed by QPR at home and then Leicester away. It means they meet two of the teams relegated from the Premier League in their first three matches.
