Late paperwork did not scupper a deal between Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray, as the two clubs finalized an agreement over the permanent transfer of veteran BVB defender Kevin Grosskreutz on Tuesday.
Galatasaray announced the deal, worth an initial €1.5 million, with the German international signing a three-year contract.
(Courtesy: GalatasaraySK)
Earlier reports suggested that the Turkish club failed to submit the proper papers on time.
The transfer window in Turkey closed on Monday at midnight, and neither FIFA nor the Turkish Football Federation had immediately cleared the deal.
But Galatasaray confirmed that it provided the details to the relevant channels five minutes before the deadline. Dortmund also said in a statement that it took "all of the necessary steps" to complete the transfer.
Grosskreutz had no problems with his medical in Istanbul, despite chronic knee problems. Instead, it was a problem with the Transfer Matching System (TMS) that caused the delay.
The World Cup winner did not suffer a similar fate to David De Gea, whose transfer to Real Madrid from Manchester United was not completed in time.
Grosskreutz will wear No. 12 with the Turkish club, and he was included in its official Champions League squad.
