Ajax Amsterdam are to turn FIFA to try and force AS Roma to come up with a bank guarantee for the transfer of Romanian defender Cristian Chivu, the club said on Thursday.

Ajax agreed to sell Chivu to the Serie A club on July 8 for a fee of 18 million euros ($20.30 million) and the 22-year-old signed a five-year deal with the club.

But two days later Roma, who have financial problems, were banned from international transfer deals by world soccer's governing body FIFA because of an unpaid debt to Peruvian club Sporting Cristal.

"Ajax will turn to the competent authorities KNVB (Dutch FA), UEFA and FIFA to force the contractually agreed banking guarantee," the Dutch club said in a statement on Thursday.

Ajax added that they would not release Chivu until the guarantee had arrived.

Chivu is one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the European game and had also been linked with Inter Milan and Real Madrid.

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