Barcelona could now face a two-and-a-half-year transfer ban following their pursuit of Antoine Griezmann.
The France striker has been on Barca’s radar for a number of months, and parent club Atletico Madrid made a formal complaint to FIFA last year over an alleged illegal approach.
According to Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu “I haven’t spoken to him this year, but with his agent in October.”
FIFA’s regulations on the status and transfer of players, “a professional shall only be free to conclude a contract with another club if his contract with his present club has expired or is due to expire within six months. Any breach of this provision shall be subject to appropriate sanctions.
Griezmann came close to leaving Atletico last summer, with Manchester United thought to be interested, but performed a U-turn after the club were hit with a transfer ban of their own.