Paris Saint-Germain's hopes to procure the services of Moroccan star Hakim Ziyech on loan from Chelsea were thwarted, as the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) refused to sanction the player's contract, a source close to the transfer revealed on Wednesday.
PSG had asked the LFP to approve the deal even though the required paperwork arrived after Tuesday's French transfer deadline.
Ligue 1 clubs had to send all contracts to the league by 11 p.m. on Tuesday (10 p.m. GMT) before having an additional hour to register moves in the FIFA system, which validates all international transfers.
Ziyech had passed a medical and the clubs had agreed that the player would be loaned to PSG until the end of the season.
However, according to sources, the Premier League club failed to send the required documents in time for the 29-year-old winger's move to be completed by the deadline.
PSG, therefore, asked the LFP for special approval, which was promptly rejected.
PSG had targeted the Netherlands-born Ziyech to add depth to their attack after the departure of Spanish international forward Pablo Sarabia to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in January.
The Ligue 1 leaders, who play Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Feb. 14, failed to make any new signings in the winter window.
They had also targeted Inter Milan's Slovakia center-back Milan Skriniar, but he will stay at the Italian club until the end of the season when his contract expires.
