The Football League has blocked the sale of Leeds United to businessman Massimo Cellino.

Cellino was attempting to buy a majority share in the club but has failed the league's owners and directors test due to his recent conviction for a tax offence in Italy.

A statement from the league read: "At its meeting yesterday evening, the board of The Football League considered the eligibility of Massimo Cellino under its Owners' and Directors' Test. The board considered detailed legal advice with regard to the application of its regulations within the context of a decision made under Italian law.

"Mr Cellino was recently found guilty beyond reasonable doubt by a Court in Sardinia of an offence under Italian tax legislation relating to the non-payment of import duties on a boat."

Cellino, owner of Serie A club Cagliari, was ordered to pay a €600,000 (£500,000) fine after the court convicted him of failing to pay €388,500 in tax on Nélie, a yacht seized by Italian police and customs officials in June 2012.

The league "agreed unanimously that the decision of the Italian court does constitute a disqualifying condition under its Owners' and Directors' Test" but Cellino's lawyer had argued that as he is appealing against the Italian court's decision, he should be viewed as innocent until that final sentence is passed.

The league's board disagreed however, saying in its decision that "if a competent Italian court (such as the Sardinian court in this case) finds a defendant guilty of a crime and specifies the sanctions to be imposed upon him then under Italian law the defendant is considered to have been convicted of a crime even if the judgement is not final because the defendant has the right to appeal."

As head of Eleonora Sports, the Italian businessman had agreed to buy 75 per cent of the clubs shares from Gulf Finance House Capital in February.

He has been bankrolling the club by paying players' wages and loan moves for goalkeeper Jack Butland and striker Connor Wickham.

But with the club struggling finacially, Cellino having so far paid £2 million, this decision leaves Leeds in a state of limbo.

GFH has insisted that the club will not enter administration again but are yet to release a statement.

Cellino has 14 days to appeal the decision.

Kadeem Simmonds