West Bromwich Albion’s new record signing, Brown Ideye, has said delays over his visa and work permit have prevented him joining up with the team.
The Nigeria striker, 25, was signed from Dynamo Kiev on 18 July, but has so far not travelled back to the UK.
He missed a pre-season friendly against Nottingham Forest last week and is set to miss Tuesday’s clash with Port Vale.
“Officials at the British High Commission (in Nigeria) are still working on it,” Ideye told BBC Sport.
“Realistically it will be difficult to target the first league game of the season for my debut”
Brown Ideye
“The club has fulfilled all the necessary requirements, but I have been told that the British High Commission require up to 15 days to sort this, which is preventing my ability to travel.
“The public holiday in Nigeria last week [Eid holiday] slowed things down a little bit on this side.
“I hope to get it sorted in the next couple of days because I can’t wait to join my new team-mates in England.”
He hopes to be able to travel in the next few days but admits the delay means he is now unlikely to make his English Premier League debut at home to Sunderland on 16 August.
Ideye admits: “I need to join the team first then train with the squad in front of the manager and so far I have not been able to do that.
“It all depends on how quickly the paperwork can be done, but realistically it will be difficult to target the first league game of the season for my debut.”
The Super Eagle, who has scored 74 goals in 182 career league appearances, joined West Bromwich Albion for an undisclosed fee, believed to be about £10m.
Ideye, who has played in both the Champions League and Europa League, has scored five goals in 24 appearances for Nigeria.
In 2013, he helped his country clinch their third Africa Cup of Nations title, scoring in the 4-1 semi-final victory over Mali.
A member of their 2010 World Cup squad in South Africa, Ideye was omitted from the Nigeria squad that reached the second round at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
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Source: BBC Sport