Atletico Madrid have failed in their bid to overturn a transfer ban after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected their appeal.
Last summer, Atletico were banned from purchasing new players for two transfer windows after breaching regulations regarding the signing of minors, but they had hoped that CAS would halve the suspension, as it recently did with Real Madrid.
However, it has been revealed that while their initial fine has been reduced, the Spanish giants remain unable to make any new signings ahead of the 2017-18 campaign.
The announcement could have ramifications for the future of Antoine Griezmann, who has been heavily linked with a summer switch to Manchester United.
It had been suggested that the Premier League club would be successful in signing the French international for a fee in the region of £85m, but there is a possibility that the deal could be put on hold.
Atletico finished the season in third place, with 15 points separating them and champions Real Madrid.
Darren Plant
