Tangerines still wait on Wes

Blackpool have confirmed that no decision has yet been taken by FIFA concerning the transfer saga of winger Wes Hoolahan from Scottish Division One side Livingston.

The Seasiders are waiting for the governing body to decide whether the 24-year-old can complete his move to Bloomfield Road after the Scottish club claimed that Simon Grayson’s side reneged on a payment during his season-long loan last season.

The winger has agreed personal terms with the newly-promoted Coca-Cola Championship side but Livingston are adamant that the two-year deal the player has agreed at Bloomfield Road is invalid due to Blackpool‘s failure to fulfil the financial obligations of the original loan deal.

Livingston claim that because the Tangerines were late in reimbursing them for the Irishman‘s monthly wages, they breached the agreement and lost their right to activate the £75,000 release clause installed in the loan deal.

Matters were further complicated by the English and Scottish FA‘s inability to agree on the matter and the issue has now been forwarded to FIFA, the game‘s governing authority.

A Blackpool club statement read: “FIFA have confirmed to us that they have not decided in Livingston’s favour and the dispute has yet to be heard by the players status committee.

“The English FA fully supports our claim and agree that the player should be transferred as per the original loan agreement.

“A substantial dossier was submitted to FIFA on Friday and we now await FIFA’s decision.”

Livingston are now believed to be demanding a fee closer to £250,000 for the Irishman after his impressive season in England and Livi chief executive Vivien Kyles is adamant that the initial agreement is no longer valid.

She said: “Wes is now very keen to stay at Blackpool so if we can reach an agreement on terms good for us it might happen.

“However, it won’t happen on the terms Blackpool chairman Karl Oyston is trying to push through.

“He has claimed we wrote to the player and his agent saying he could leave. Not unless someone forged my signature we didn’t.

“The last thing we want to do is take away from the Blackpool fans a good player like Wes – he has had a very good season for Blackpool, and if they made us an offer today, then we could sort it out.”