Fulham face transfer freeze and fans' fury

The turmoil surrounding Fulham deepened last night as the club were threatened with a transfer embargo and it appeared increasingly likely that they will never return to their Craven Cottage home.

Fans are now planning a mass protest before and during Sunday's home game against Middlesbrough, which is to be screened live on Sky Sports. Any protest will infuriate the club's owner Mohamed Al Fayed, who last night said the fans should show "a little more gratitude and understanding".

Fifa, football's world governing body, announced yesterday that Fulham had until Monday to pay the final £2.5m they owe Olympique Lyon over the controversial £11.5m transfer of the French international striker Steve Marlet.

Payments are being withheld pending legal action over the part played by agents in the deal. But Fifa – which has also been asked by the Premiership strugglers to arbitrate on whether the fee is fair – appeared to lose patience yesterday. The Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren said: "Fulham have been requested to pay up or provide an explanation about why they cannot. There is a possibility that transfer embargos could be placed on Fulham but that would take time."

In an attempt to beat any embargo, Fulham were last night rushing through the transfer of the outcast Tottenham striker Sergei Rebrov. The Ukrainian, 28, a record signing for Spurs at £11m in 2000, held talks with the Fulham manager Jean Tigana after a knock-down fee of £1m was agreed.

A spokesman for Tottenham confirmed: "Rebrov is currently involved in transfer talks with Fulham. He was due to undergo a medical but has yet to agree personal terms."

Rebrov's agent Sandor Varga said the deal was "95 per cent done" and only personal terms and the medical stood between his client and completion.

The signing is unlikely to appease Fulham fans after it emerged yesterday that the club came close to selling Craven Cottage last autumn. A deal – which is likely to net around £150m – only fell through because Fulham were outbid over a plot of land on which they wanted to build a new stadium.

It is understood they are now examining two other sites to try and resurrect the deal to sell the historic riverside stadium, Fulham's home since 1896, to developers. Fulham have already received £15m as a down payment on the sale.

Fayed angrily denied yesterday that he had already sold Craven Cottage but confirmed that the money had been raised "to help with operating expenses of the club and to take the stadium project forward". He continued: "As part of the package of sensible precautionary measures we have put in place we have set up a structure which would make it possible for us to sell Craven Cottage if, as a last resort, we are forced to do so."

Talks are also ongoing for the club to share Chelsea's Stamford Bridge ground. However the Chelsea chairman Ken Bates is insisting the deal runs for 15 years, while Fulham want to sign up for three years.

Any groundshare plan is likely to run into strong local opposition, with Hammersmith and Fulham council expressing their displeasure.