West Ham United will have to wait until next week to discover whether their work permit application for Pachuca striker Enner Valencia has been successful.
The Hammers had hoped to complete the £12million deal this week, ahead of two pre-season friendlies in New Zealand.
However, the London club does not expect a definitive answer from the Home Office before the weekend and will not receive the news until Monday at the earliest.
Co-chairman David Gold told his followers on social media site Twitter: “Hopefully it will be issued early next week.”
West Ham’s desperation to see the transfer go through has been intensified following club record signing Andy Carroll’s latest injury setback.
The England international, who missed half of last season with an ankle problem, suffered a similar knock in training, although it is not directly related to last term’s ailment.
The former Newcastle United talisman will have to sit out the friendlies against Wellington Phoenix in Auckland tonight and Saturday’s clash with Sydney FC in Wellington.
Their tour of New Zealand was seen as a perfect opportunity for Carroll to make up for lost time and reach optimum fitness levels, but he must now bide his time and once again play catch-up.