Nashat Akram

IRAQI midfielder Nashat Akram will not be joining City after he was refused a work permit.

The Blues had agreed a fee with his club Al-Ain in the United Arab Emirates but despite boss Sven-Goran Eriksson and a City delegation heading down to the Home Office, the appeal failed.

Eriksson said “This is a big blow and a great disappointment to us. I have huge sympathy for Nashat. He is a very good footballer with an excellent international pedigree. He has now returned to the Middle East and we will keep in touch with him. He is somebody who we will maintain an interest in for the long term.”