• Premier League

Rojo's United move still not approved

Marcos Rojo's £16 million move to Manchester United has still not been approved by the Premier League.

Louis van Gaal said on Thursday that the defender may not be available to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday because of work permit issues.

But sources have confirmed to ESPN that there are also third-party ownership issues facing United before Rojo can play in the Premier League.

Marcos Rojo is yet to make his Manchester United debut © Twitter

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Funding group Doyen are said to have had a 75% stake in Rojo when he was at Sporting Lisbon, with the Premier League still processing the paperwork associated with their claim, according to the Daily Mail.

Doyen are understood to have loaned Sporting most of the £3.5m fee they paid Spartak Moscow for Rojo in 2012, with the agreement that they would receive 75% of any future transfer fee or be repaid in full at a set interest rate.

United have reportedly paid Sporting £8m already with two further payments of £4m due, though the Daily Mail say Doyen are yet to receive anything and could take legal action.

The issue is likely to cause further delays but should ultimately be resolved, although if it is not cleared up by noon on Friday then Rojo will not be able to face Burnley.

A Premier League spokesman said: "Premier League rules prohibit Third Party Ownership as we believe that it threatens the integrity of competitions, reduces the flow of transfer revenue contained within the game, and has the potential to exert external influences on players' transfer decisions.

"When our clubs enter into negotiations to sign players from countries where the practice is permitted we work with them to make sure any third parties are bought out. This has to take place before a player can be registered to play in the Premier League."

United have always said that the main problem surrounding Rojo is work-permit related.

"Rojo is working on his permit, he has to go abroad [to do] that," Van Gaal said, as he spoke to the media at Angel Di Maria's Old Trafford unveiling.

"The difference on Angel Di Maria is he has an Italian permit and Rojo not. Now he is abroad in Madrid to work in the embassy."

Van Gaal will also be without another summer recruit, Ander Herrera, with the United manager revealing that 10 players are now sidelined in an increasing injury crisis.

Herrera has sat out United's last two games while Shinji Kagawa, who suffered concussion in the first half of Tuesday's 4-0 defeat to MK Dons, is also unavailable.

Van Gaal added: "Ander Herrera is now injured and we have now 10 injuries. [Herrera's injury] is short term. Kagawa has now concussion. A lot of players shall return after the international break so then our problem is solved."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd