• Everton’s Spanish star unlikely to be able to switch allegiance
• Arteta’s appearances for Spain Under-16s and 17s are a snag

Mikel Arteta’s chances of playing for England are destined to end in disappointment.

In recent weeks there has been a campaign growing around the Everton midfielder, who had been led to believe he would be eligible for England after completing five years residency in the United Kingdom. Because Arteta has never played for Spain, it appeared he would be able to switch national allegiances once he had been granted UK citizenship.

Earlier this week, the Football Association stressed it had not been asked to investigate the matter by Fabio Capello, although it was thought the England manager had spoken briefly to Arteta, who was said to be enthusiastic about the prospect.

However, it now transpires Arteta is almost certainly not eligible at all. “Under our understanding of Fifa rules the player is ineligible to play for England,” an FA spokesman told Press Association Sport this evening.

While the world governing body is anxious not to pre-judge any request from the FA, it has been pointed out the rules on previously appearing for national sides do not cover full internationals alone.

The little-known Article 18.1.a within the Fifa statutes outlines that any player who has represented his country in an official competition, at whatever level, would at that time need to have held a passport for the country he later wished to play for in order to be permitted to make the switch.

In Arteta’s case, because he played for Spain in the Under-16 European Championships and then in the Fifa World Championships at Under-17 level, the only way he could satisfy the current criteria is if he held a UK passport at the same time.

It hardly seems likely a 28-year-old from San Sebastián would have gained such a document over a decade ago, which means that even if an application to Fifa was made on the FA’s behalf, it would automatically be rejected.

This news is bound to come as a blow to Arteta, and maybe even Capello. However, it does save further controversy, not least because the Scotland manager, Craig Levein, recently pointed out a gentleman’s agreement between the four home nations where they have all vowed not to exploit eligibility loopholes.

EvertonEnglandFifaguardian.co.uk

• Player banned from City training ground
• Merseyside club must sell to fund purchases

Everton have joined the queue of clubs interested in providing Craig Bellamy with an escape from Manchester City, despite their inability to match the Wales international’s salary at Eastlands.

David Moyes, the Everton manager, has no money available to add to his squad this summer unless he receives and accepts a significant offer for Steven Pienaar, who is in the final year of his contract at Goodison Park, or Yakubu Ayegbeni, who has been the subject of a rejected £6m bid from West Ham United. The Goodison futures of Joseph Yobo and James Vaughan are also in doubt ahead of the transfer deadline.

Nevertheless Moyes is keen to improve the Everton attack and right midfield this month and has made his interest known to Bellamy, who has been strongly linked with a loan move to the Championship with Cardiff City. The 31-year-old has in effect been made persona non grata at City after clashing with the manager, Roberto Mancini, and senior employers in recent days and was banned from the club’s training ground at the weekend, although there were reports last night that Bellamy would return to training with City .

The forward returned home to Cardiff on Friday, having initially been ordered to train with the reserves before the punishment for questioning Mancini’s authority increased. Stephen Ireland, another player City are keen to release before the transfer deadline and whose proposed move to Aston Villa has stalled over a pay-off, is believed to now be training with the club’s reserve team.

Moyes has tried to sign Bellamy on several occasions but would have to overcome several major obstacles to secure his signature this time. The striker would have to accept a significant reduction in his £95,000-a-week City contract for Everton to finance a deal – even after selling Pienaar or Yakubu – and City’s desire for a transfer fee, rather than a loan deal, is also a problem for the Goodison club.

City have so far refused to countenance a deal with Tottenham for Bellamy on the basis they are a rival for Champions League qualification this season, a theory that could also apply to Moyes’s team. Then there is Bellamy’s desire to stay in the north-west should he leave City, having made clear his desire to play for Cardiff City before the end of his career. The Eastlands club insist there is no offer on the table for Bellamy yet, despite Celtic, Fulham and Sunderland all sharing Cardiff and Everton’s interest in the Wales international.

Mario Balotelli could make his first appearance for City since his £22.5m transfer from Internazionale against Timisoara in the Europa League play-off first leg on Thursday. The Italy international was not registered in time for the Premier League opener at Tottenham on Saturday and was expected to miss the tie against the Romanians. However, if City can register the striker with both the Football Association and Uefa before midnight on Wednesday, Balotelli will be free to face Timisoara.

Craig BellamyEvertonManchester CityTransfer windowAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk