BOLTON Wanderers and Glasgow Celtic have been assured that the record-breaking Alan Stubbs transfer has not been compromised by a so-called "rogue" agent.

The player's representative, who was involved in last Friday's £5.5 million deal, says there is no need for a FIFA enquiry into the transfer.

Neil Rioch, younger brother of former Wanderers boss Bruce, dismissed allegations that he was not entitled to represent the England B defender because he is not a registered agent.

He said from his St Albans base today: "I would never have become involved if I thought I would have jeopardised the transfer in any way. Absolutely not."

Doubts were cast over the validity of the transfer when it was claimed that Rioch's company, IMR ProSport Management, was not registered with FIFA as a bonded agent and was not entitled to represent any player directly in transfer negotiations. An agent must post a £100,000 bond with FIFA before acting directly on behalf of any footballer. But a recent merger between IMR and the Hampstead-based PML company run by fully-licensed agent Phil Morrison is understood to have the full approval of the English Football Association.

Stubbs and Celtic could have been heavily fined, indeed FIFA could have called off the transfer, if Mr Rioch had been exposed as an unauthorised agent.

But the IMR-PML partnership, which Rioch insists was drawn up with guidance from the FA, means an investigation of the deal, which netted Wanderers £3.5 million, is unlikely.

"The whole thing was cleared up on Saturday," explained Mr Rioch, who also acted on behalf of Jason McAteer in his £4.5 million transfer to Liverpool last September.

Wanderers were not thought to be under threat of any FIFA action. Neither Stubbs nor Neil Rioch were informed that the transfer was on until Burnden officials had agreed a fee and the terms of the deal with Celtic chiefs in secret talks last Monday.

Burnden chief executive Des McBain explained: "As far as we were concerned it was out of our hands once we had met the Celtic people.

"Anything that happened after that was between the player, his representative and Celtic. We've been told the agent was licensed and, hopefully there shouldn't be a problem."

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