Former Hibs ace signs for EFL club under transfer embargo as 'special dispensation' granted for a top target
The star was at Hibs last season and is now in at an English club.
A former Hibs star has signed for an EFL club under transfer embargo after his new side earned ‘special dispensation’ to recruit him.
League One outfit Oxford United are hopeful the embargo will be gone by January’s window but currently are unable to register new players because they are not compliant with the EFL's salary cost management protocol (SCMP) regulations. They are the financial fair play rules for League One and League Two clubs in England, putting caps on the proportion of a club's turnover and cash that can be spent on player-related matters.
Kai Andrews spent the second half of last season at Hibs, playing 11 times, most notably scoring a winner at Parkhead against Celtic earlier this year. He had previously been loaned to Motherwell by parent club Coventry City, but upon their promotion to the Premier League, he has joined Oxford until January. A Wales international, he will be managed by Aaron Ramsey, the ex-Welsh and Arsenal star.
Who have Oxford United signed?
Explaining why they’ve been allowed to sign Andrews, it’s stated in a Oxford United statement: “Oxford United are delighted to announce the signing of Wales international, Kai Andrews, on a loan until 2 January 2027. The 20-year-old joins from Premier League side Coventry City, where he played seven times during their promotion winning campaign last season. A product of the Coventry academy, Kai made his professional debut at 17 and has earned three caps for his country.
“Despite operating under a registration embargo, Oxford United have been able to sign Kai Andrews after receiving special dispensation from the EFL, and the agreement does not involve any additional cost to the club. Any further player registrations while the registration embargo remains in place would also require such dispensation from the EFL and be considered by the League on a case-by-case basis.”
Andrews said: “I had a great chat with the manager and the opportunity for young players coming through, or coming on loan, it was impossible for me to look away from this move, and I put my all in to make it happen. I feel very confident from my experiences in Scotland and I’ve had a strong pre-season with Coventry, so I’m ready to hit the ground running for the Club.
Why has Kai Andrews signed for Hibs?
“The principles of the club and the way we want to play is a set-up I’m excited to get into. It’s a very exciting team to come into where I feel I can have a positive influence going forward. I want to get as much experience and play as many games as I can. I know the culture of the club and how great the supporters are. We want to get back to the Championship, and I will give my all to achieve that.”
Head of Football Operations, Ed Waldron, said: "Kai was at the top of our list at the start of the summer, so to still be in a position to sign him at this stage is massive for the club. We would like to thank Coventry City for placing their trust in us and being so accommodating in loaning us a player of Kai’s quality given the circumstances.”