Barca look to sidestep FIFA

Barcelona have reportedly approached the Spanish Football Association to request that Arda Turan be registered following the loss of Rafinha to injury.

Attacking midfielder Rafinha tore his right anterior cruciate ligament in the Champions League clash against Roma last week and will undergo surgery on Tuesday to repair the damage.

Turan joined Barca in the off-season from Atletico Madrid but was unable to be registered with Spanish football's governing body due to the transfer ban imposed on the La Liga club by FIFA for a breach in rules pertaining to the signing of players under the age of 18.

The punishment falls away in January 2016 when the mid-season transfer window re-opens, but the Catalan giants have tested the resolve of the RFEF by asking permission to enroll the Turkey international for league duty, according to widespread reports in Spain.

Even if the Blaugrana are successful with his league registration, the 28-year-old winger is still ineligible to feature in the Champions League group stages as he was not included in Luis Enrique's squad for the competition.