Coventry City chairman Bryan Richardson today insisted the £5 million deal to sign Wimbledon striker John Hartson "is not dead."
Richardson claimed the Sky Blues had agreed a fee with the Dons and personal terms with the Welsh international.
But he admitted the sticking point was an unnamed Coventry player currently failing to agree terms with Wimbledon as part of the deal.
That is holding up matters and casting a doubt over whether Hartson will be signed in time to make his debut in Saturday's Premiership encounter at Newcastle.
But Richardson is still optimistic Hartson will become a City player at some stage and form an all-Welsh partnership with Craig Bellamy.
Coventry are understood to be paying between £2.5 and £3 million for 25-year-old Hartson, who has scored 10 goals in 22 games this season, plus the player-exchange. PA