Cardiff City has been placed under a transfer embargo by the EFL for failing to submit their annual accounts.

The League One club will be unable to recruit any players in January until the matter has been settled.

Cardiff, who are now top of the third tier, have stated that the embargo is due to a’short administrative delay’.

They told the BBC that it should be lifted by the end of next week, but the EFL has yet to reply.

Under EFL rules, clubs must submit their annual accounts for the fiscal year 2024/25 by December 31 – and it appears Cardiff did not fulfill that deadline.

Kieran Maguire, a football finance expert, was asked on social media whether the embargo was caused by a ‘oversight’ and replied: “If so, [that’s] a bit tinpot.”

Despite the fact that some players have already left, the Bluebirds have stated that it would not hinder their transfer intentions this month.

Luey Giles, Will Spiers, and Dakarai Mafico all been loaned away, while goalkeeper Jak Alnwick has joined Huddersfield Town permanently.

Manager Brian Barry-Murphy recently recognized that the squad needed more depth at full-back.

Earlier this week, he stated: “Joel [Bagan] has done extremely well for us this season.” However, Luey Giles has gone on loan, so we are aware that we may want assistance in that part of our squad.