On Monday the Portuguese Professional Football League announced that three Premier League clubs – SC Olhanense, V. Setúbal and V. Guimarães – were banned from signing new players as their documentation for fiscal and registration purposes was incomplete.
It is only a week before manager Sérgio Conceição (pictured) gathered his players together for pre-season assessment and training. The first league games are scheduled for the weekend of the 18/19 August. Olhanense President Isidoro Sousa has assured supporters that the process will be completed by today (Friday).
“The situation has been slightly delayed but it is under control. We are awaiting some certificates so that everything is settled within a few days. Our registration should not concern members who have no need to worry. We have chosen to pay firstly the players wages and then deal with some pending cases. But everything is on course to be finalised by the end of the week,” said the President on Tuesday.
Six Second Division clubs including former Premier Leagues teams Leixões, Belenenses and Naval are also included in the embargo. Prior to the embargo Olhanense had signed David Silva from Scottish Premier League side Kilmarnock where he made 45 appearances over the last two seasons scoring four times. The 25 year-old winger started his career at FC Porto and has also plied his trade in Bulgaria and Spain.
