Dundee United and Stoke City are still waiting for the green light to complete the transfer of Tangerines kid Harry Souttar.
Two weeks after the transfer window, the 17-year-old has been left in limbo as the clubs wait for Fifa to confirm his £200,000-plus switch can go ahead.
Their rules don’t allow cross-border switches for players under 18 but EU law means they have to make an exception for such deals in this part of the world.
With all the paperwork the two clubs had to do being completed in advance of the August 31 cut-off point for summer transfers, it is just a case of the ruling body’s red tape being cut through.
But Fifa seem in no hurry to get that done and that’s left the teenager without a game for around a month.
The U/20 side he left behind at Tannadice was bolstered for the defeat against Motherwell the other night by first-team men Mark Durnan, Coll Donaldson, Sean Dillon and Blair Spittal.
Durnan has had a hamstring problem over the past couple of weeks, while the others needed game time after being on the bench for most of the season so far.
Teenage full-back Jamie Robson also played despite the fact he’s set to return at Falkirk on Saturday night because of Paul Dixon’s suspension following his red card at Dunfermline last weekend.
Saturday’s trip to the Falkirk Stadium will give Arabs the chance to again show their appreciation for former stalwart John Rankin after his summer departure.
But they might have to wait because their ex-favourite has only been on the bench for the Bairns in the last two games.
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