FIFA have handed Chelsea a two-transfer window ban for breaching rules around the transfer of minors.
Chelsea have been given a two-transfer window ban by FIFA for breaching rules around the transfer of minors and also fined £400,000.
FIFA sanctions handed to Chelsea could complicate Real Madrid’s plan to sign Eden Hazard in this summer.
How did this come about?
Based on documents from Football Leaks, French website Mediapart claimed in November that 19 Chelsea signings had been looked at during a three-year investigation. Mediapart alleged that 14 of those signings were under the age of 18.
It was first reported in September 2017 that Chelsea were being investigated. Burkina Faso international- who now plays for Ligue 1 club Lyon - signed his first professional contract at Chelsea in 2013 at the age of 18 but was not registered until January 2014.
Mediapart claimed Fifa found evidence that Chelsea had misled them over the dates, while Traore was found to have made 25 appearances for the Blues (under-16, under-18 and first team) despite not being registered by the FA.
Chelsea admitted they paid his mother £155,000, as well as a further £13,000 to the club she chaired - AJE Bobo-Dioulasso - in April 2011 to allow them first refusal over his signature.
That deal, it is alleged, was for four and a half years, despite the limit for under-18s being three years.
In addition, it is also claimed Chelsea paid for Traore to attend the £20,000-a-year Whitgift School in Surrey.
Chelsea have the right to appeal the ruling. Once they’ve done so, it can then head to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The embargo could be delayed after this summer’s transfer window, albeit time-consuming, though the Blues would then be able to make signings between June and August.
“Chelsea FC has today received a decision from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee concerning alleged breaches of the FIFA Regulations that relate to the international transfer of players under the age of 18,” a statement on the
club’s official website read.
“The decision imposes a transfer ban of two consecutive registration periods and a fine of 600k Swiss francs. Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and will, therefore, be appealing the decision.
“The club wishes to emphasise that it respects the important work undertaken by FIFA in relation to the protection of minors and has fully cooperated with FIFA throughout its investigation. Initially, Chelsea FC was charged under Articles 19.1 and 19.3 in relation to 92 players.
“We welcome the fact that FIFA has accepted that there was no breach in relation to 63 of these players, but the club is extremely disappointed that FIFA has not accepted the club’s submissions in relation to the remaining 29 players. Chelsea FC acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and will shortly be submitting its appeal to FIFA.”
According to
Sky Germany, there is no danger surrounding the deal for Christian Pulisic as that was registered in Fifa’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) in January.
The Blues signed Gonzalo Higuain on loan in the same window with a view to extending that loan by another year.
While that does not directly affect the possibility of the sale of Eden Hazard to Madrid, the fact that the Chelsea will not be able to sign a suitable replacement could make the club more reluctant to let go of their Belgian talisman.
In light of the FIFA sanctions, the Stamford Bridge board may now look to renew the 28-year-old’s contract, or even hold onto him until his current deal runs out in June, 2020, at which point they will be able to return to the market. Chelsea is also unlikely to sell Callum Hudson-Odoi to Bayern Munich.
FIFA’s transfer ban means that Matteo Kovacic will not be able to stay at Chelsea beyond the end of the agreed loan term in June, not even for an extended loan period.
However, Chelsea could get out of trouble with calling back all loan players and they are 41.
