Atletico Madrid's Transfer Ban Upheld, Club Cannot Sign Players Until 2018

Atletico Madrid have been unsuccessful with their appeal against a FIFA-imposed registration ban, which was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Thursday. 

The club said "this ruling is unfair and causes an irreparable damage to our club."

Atleti confirmed the news, which means they will not be able to register any new players until the start of 2018:

Atletico were initially handed their two-window ban in January 2016, along with Real Madrid.

An appeal lodged to FIFA meant they were able to sign players last summer, but when that failed, it left both Madrid clubs with CAS as their last resort, per BBC Sport.

Los Blancos were partially successful with their plea to the international body, as CAS reduced their ban to just one transfer window, per BBC Sport.

Atleti have had no such success, though, and hinted at a double standard in their club statement: 

"We consider that the decision to support the prohibition of registering players in a second period, corresponding to the summer of 2017, supposes a comparative disadvantage and discriminatory treatment to our entity, since recently and in a similar case, the penalty was partially lifted, allowing to register players starting on July 1."

The ruling will have largely scuppered any potential plans Atletico had for the summer transfer window.

They are allowed to buy players, but any signings cannot be registered to play until the start of next year.

As such the Madrid club will have to rely on their current squad to get them through the first half of the 2017-18 term.

This could have a knock-on effect for other clubs keen on snapping up current Atleti stars.

For example, according to The Sun's Alex Terrell, the ruling has dented Manchester United's chances of signing Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann for the start of next season.