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Celtic signing Wanyama gets work permit
Friday, 8 July 2011
Celtic have won their case for Victor Wanyama to be awarded a work permit following an appeal to the Scottish Football Association.
The independent four-man panel endorsed the Kenyan international's application, which is now expected to be rubber-stamped by the UK Border Agency.
Celtic confirmed a deal for the 20-year-old to join the club from Germinal Beerschot last week.
An SFA statement read: 'Following an appeal by Celtic FC on behalf of Victor Wanyama, the Scottish FA has today issued the club with a Governing Body Endorsement.
'The player must now complete his work permit application with the UK Border Agency.'
Wanyama was this afternoon undergoing a medical at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow following his successful appeal, which saw Hoops manager Neil Lennon plead his case via conference call from Australia, where the first-team squad are on a pre-season tour.
Wanyama's work permit application was automatically refused as Kenya are ranked outside the top 75 countries in the world, at 130 on FIFA's latest list.
But Celtic convinced the panel that the player, who has 11 caps for his country, would make a significant impact on Scottish football.