Skip to content

Chelsea denies any wrongdoing amid FIFA probe into transfers

Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien

Chelsea insisted it hasn't breached regulations regarding the hiring of youth players after the Daily Mail's Sam Cunningham originally reported the club is subject to an investigation from FIFA.

"Chelsea FC complies with all FIFA statutes and regulations when recruiting players," a club spokesman told The Independent's Jack Austin.

In the report, the reigning Premier League champion was accused of illegally signing foreign players under the age of 18, and the world's governing body has since confirmed an unspecified probe is underway into the Stamford Bridge outfit's dealings.

"As the investigation is ongoing no further comment is possible for the time being," a FIFA spokesman said.

Chelsea is understood to have been entirely compliant as FIFA conducts its investigation, although there is precedent in the club being linked to questionable practices. Gael Kakuta's 2007 transfer from Lens was scrutinised and resulted in a ban that was eventually overturned following an appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Bertrand Traore's switch from Auxerre was also flagged up when pictures showed him representing Chelsea aged 16, before he'd received international clearance.

The case against Chelsea isn't believed to be as serious as the recent inquests into Real Madrid's and Atletico Madrid's transfer activity. The former had its ban overturned on appeal, but the latter cannot register players until January after serving a transfer ban across the past two windows.

Liverpool and Manchester City are currently forbidden from buying youth players for two years. The Merseyside club was found to be offering outlawed enticements to a player or his family to tempt him to its academy, while City was discovered to have been contacting youngsters and their families when they were still contracted to other teams.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox