Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is still hopeful of signing Daniel Cousin from Rangers this season after a FIFA meeting later in February to discuss player status regulations.

Hodgson agreed a £3million deal for the 30-year-old Gabon striker but rules stipulate players cannot appear for three different clubs in the same season.

Cousin played just 20 minutes of a French league match before joining Rangers from Lens in August.

A FIFA spokesman said on Rangers' website: "The outcome is still pending because the legal department have asked to see more documentation, especially from Fulham.

"They need more time to analyse everything and I don't think we will announce a verdict before Monday now."

Hodgson is hopeful ahead of the meeting: "I believe there is a meeting about player status in 10 days' time at the end of the African Nations Cup.

"I'm still rather hopeful that the initial decision could be overturned because it is quite harsh that someone who has played only 20 minutes is regarded as having an extra club in the season.

"It's also quite harsh when a transfer has been agreed and everyone is happy with it. To send him back to a club is not the best of situations, especially Rangers where passions run high.

"I'm still hopeful he can come here this season. I don't think the door is closed. All the time the door is ajar, we've got to hope it can be open fully."

Even though the January transfer window is closed, the deal can still be completed.

Hodgson explained: "The decision, of course, is retroactive. It won't mean it's outside the transfer window because our application was within the transfer window."

Aside from frustration in the Cousin deal, Hodgson was happy with his January dealings.

He brought Leon Andreasen and Brede Hangeland to the club and the pair made their debuts this week against Bolton.

Erik Nevland could feature against Aston Villa on Sunday, but Paul Stalteri has a dead leg and Jari Litmanen is not match fit yet.

"We're happy with the business we've done," Hodgson added.

"Whether our player dealings are good dealings remains to be seen - the proof of the pudding is always in the eating and that is on the field for us.

"We wanted to change the profile of the squad to give myself and my staff more opportunities in terms of the teams we want to play."

Fulham have not won since the start of November and Hodgson is still looking for his first victory since taking over from Lawrie Sanchez.

Defeating Villa will not move them from 19th in the Barclays Premier League but may close the gap on their relegation rivals.

"I don't know where the easy games in this league are, so we are better off ignoring the concept of easy and difficult, and making certain for each game we are fully prepared," Hodgson added.

"For me they all appear to be difficult.

"For us there are no easy games. When you are in a relegation fight and adrift in the fight, there are literally no easy games.

"You couldn't give me the name of a team playing in the Football League that I would consider easy at the moment. Certainly you couldn't give me a Premier League team that I would find easy.

"I have to accept that. Each task is difficult. Each team we play will cause us problems in some way. We have to make sure we are prepared for those problems and cause them problems."

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