Everton hit with academy transfer ban after tapping up young players

Everton were handed a two-year ban on signing academy players from the Football League system after being found guilty of violating the Premier League's recruitment rules.

Everton, who admitted to the charges, were also ordered to pay a £500,000 fine.

The Premier League found evidence that Everton "offered inducements" to an underage player and his family. That player is now with Manchester United, according to The Telegraph's Ben Rumsby.

The Toffees later discovered through an internal investigation that six other players had been tapped up.

Everton cannot sign any academy player "who has been registered with another Premier League or EFL club in the preceding 18 months," the Premier League said in a statement.

"We are extremely disappointed with some of the practices we have found which are not in line with our values and not acceptable to Everton," the club added. "Accordingly, we have accepted the penalties imposed on us by the Premier League and have given them our strongest apologies."

The Premier League has clamped down on clubs using illicit means to sign players aged 10 to 18, but Everton's punishment is by far the most severe. Liverpool and Manchester City were handed year-long academy transfer bans and fined £100,000 and £300,000, respectively.

Everton reportedly suspended their longtime head of academy recruitment, Martin Waldron, in September while the Premier League investigated allegations of an illegal approach to a Cardiff City schoolboy. A letter reviewed by Rumsby alleges that Waldron used illicit recruitment techniques multiple times.

The schoolboy was offered a place at a nearby Merseyside school, full board, and a "family allowance" of £600 per month, according to Rumsby.

United eventually won the race to sign the Cardiff youngster.