‘I don’t know who owns me’: Andros Townsend opens up about his transfer nightmare as the winger failed to register with Antalyaspor after moving from Luton due to a transfer ban

Andros Townsend has spoken about his transfer nightmare this summer, with the winger admitting he doesn’t know which club owns him.

Townsend signed a contract with Antalyaspor earlier this month, where he joined from Luton, but the Turkish club has not yet been able to register him due to a transfer ban.

The ban means that Antalyaspor cannot announce Townsend’s arrival and he is not allowed to play for the club. However, he is allowed to train with the squad.

According to BBC Sport, Antalyaspor still have outstanding debts to two former players and the company hopes to register Townsend soon.

Townsend said on BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I’ve had a crazy few weeks.

Andros Townsend has spoken candidly about the transfer nightmare he endured this summer

‘Three days before the start of the season at Luton, I get a call from Antalyaspor. They say: ‘We have an offer for you, but you have 24 hours to respond because there is a transfer ban coming and we have to get you before the transfer ban starts.’

‘So, no time to think about it. I managed to negotiate to be in the first game for Luton, played ten minutes in that and then it was literally all signed, all done. Then we missed the deadline by a couple of hours.

‘So the contract is signed with Antalyaspor. They can’t register me officially, they can’t announce me, because they have a transfer ban, so I’m literally stuck in Antalyaspor, just training.’

Townsend joined Luton as a free agent in October 2023 and made 32 appearances last season, scoring once. In January he signed a new contract until June 2026.

The former England international expressed his frustration over his situation at Antalyaspor.

Townsend left Luton for Antalyaspor earlier this month, but the Turkish club have not yet been able to register him

He said: ‘I don’t know who owns me. I don’t know where my contact is, so yes, that’s me. I can’t play, they can’t register me, they can’t officially announce me because they have a transfer ban, similar to what Barcelona sometimes have.

‘I think they have a dispute with just one player who is taking them to court, so until that is resolved they can’t bring in any new players. But every time I ask them, they say, ‘the contract is signed, you are our player.’

“But nothing has been announced yet. I can’t play. I’m literally in a hotel on the training ground, just training and keeping my head down.”

Antalyaspor cannot announce Townsend’s arrival and he is not allowed to play for them, but he is allowed to train with the squad

Townsend, 33, has had a long career playing for numerous clubs.

He started out at Tottenham, where he made 93 appearances, and was then loaned out nine times before leaving for Newcastle in 2016.

Townsend also played for Crystal Palace and Everton before signing for Luton. He scored three goals in 13 appearances for England between 2013 and 2016.