Stoke City have failed with their move for Juan Agudelo after the striker was denied a work permit.
The 20-year-old signed a pre-contract agreement with the Potters over the summer in the hope that he would be able to join the club from New England Revolution in January.
However, an appeal panel in London has rejected Stoke's application to bring the forward to the Britannia Stadium.
"We're bitterly disappointed that the panel rejected our appeal for a work permit for Juan," chief executive Tony Scholes is quoted as saying by Sky Sports News.
"The criteria by which the panel should make work permit application decisions are well established and have been in place for some years and, despite recent comments to the media and discussion in the media, that criteria has not changed.
"We are therefore left amazed that our application for a work permit for Juan has been rejected when you compare his talent and ability to players who have been granted a work permit on appeal in the past."
Agudelo joined New England Revolution from Chivas USA in May.
Jack Prescott
