Posillipo has resolved part of its registration crisis by securing the eligibility of Serbian defender Milos Milicic, while Montenegrin forward Darko Brguljan and Serbian attacker Marko Radulovic will have to wait until January 2025 to make their official debuts for the Neapolitan club. This marks the conclusion of a tumultuous case that stemmed from Posillipo’s failure to request the necessary international transfer certificates (ITCs) from European Aquatics before the September 30 deadline.

The root of the issue lies in Posillipo missing the cutoff for requesting the ITCs required to complete the registration of these three key foreign signings. Without these certificates, the players could not be registered with the Italian Swimming Federation (FIN), barring them from playing in official matches. The club appealed to European Aquatics, citing “force majeure,” but the federation upheld its regulations, leaving two of the players on the sidelines.

However, Posillipo caught a break when Milicic’s former club, Tourcoing, failed to register for the French championship. Under European Aquatics rules, this situation permits an extension of the transfer deadline, allowing Posillipo to complete Milicic’s registration beyond the usual timeframe. As a result, Milicic is expected to make his debut as early as this weekend in Posillipo’s opening match of the season against Florentia.

For Radulovic and Brguljan, the situation is more complicated. Despite Posillipo’s efforts to push through their registrations, the refusal from European Aquatics means they will have to wait for the next transfer window, which opens on January 1, 2025. This delay will prevent the two star forwards from playing in Posillipo’s first 11 league matches, with their earliest possible debut slated for January 15, 2025, in an away fixture against Telimar in Palermo.

This delay is a significant blow for Posillipo, who had invested heavily in these summer transfers after years of austerity. Both Radulovic and Brguljan were expected to lead the team’s offensive efforts, but for now, they can only train with the squad and support their teammates from the sidelines.

Milicic’s inclusion will provide some relief for coach Pino Porzio, as the Serbian defender will bolster Posillipo’s backline. However, the absence of Radulovic and Brguljan could severely hinder the team’s early-season ambitions, especially given their reputations as top-tier goal-scorers. For the first few months of the season, Posillipo will have to adjust its strategy, relying on other players to fill the attacking void left by these two high-profile signings.

The administrative mishap that led to this situation has been a major talking point, with many pointing to the strict European Aquatics regulations as the culprit behind the delay. Posillipo’s failure to submit the ITC requests by the September 30 deadline has now forced the club to rethink its approach for the opening half of the season.