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Chelsea have been thrown into turmoil by a two-window transfer ban, with Manchester City expected to be hit with a similar sanction from FIFA, for alleged breaches of regulations relating to foreign under 18 players.
The London club have been banned from signing players until the end of January 2020 and fined £460,000. The Football Association were also fined £390,000 for essentially failing to police the recruitment of young players at a club under their jurisdiction.
City, who face Chelsea on Sunday in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, are the subject of a separate FIFA investigation, also into their conduct over foreign youth signings.
Chelsea have been banned from signing players for two transfer windows by FIFA
Premier League rivals Manchester City are expected to be hit with a similar sanction
Chelsea and the FA were given little more than an hour’s notice before news broke on Friday morning that both had been sanctioned as the result of a FIFA investigation that has been running for almost three years.
While both Chelsea and the FA were quick to announce their intention to appeal, with such an appeal possibly delaying any transfer ban until after this summer’s window, the situation immediately presents under-fire manager Maurizio Sarri with a headache in terms of squad management.
It also leaves the future of players such as Eden Hazard and Callum Hudson-Odoi clouded in yet more uncertainty, given Chelsea may not be able to replace them if they were allowed to leave.
Sparked initially by concerns regarding former striker Bertrand Traore, who it emerged had been making appearances for Chelsea without being registered by the FA, FIFA said they found breaches in 29 cases out of 92 investigated. It is thought that they initially looked into more than 100 cases.
FIFA have strict rules about when a young player is registered by a club and demand that players are registered with international transfer certificates if they participate in what the world governing body considers ‘organised football’.
Chelsea’s ban could impact on Eden Hazard’s future and stop him leaving for Real Madrid
It could also limit Callum Hudson-Odoi’s ability to leave Stamford Bridge for Bayern Munich
Both Chelsea and the FA would argue the regulations are nuanced around temporary and permanent moves, with Chelsea clearly of the view that a trial match is not necessarily organised football. That said, the motivation of FIFA here is to protect minors from exploitation and trafficking and monitor their movement across international borders.
FIFA said Chelsea had been found guilty of 29 breaches of Article 19 — which concerns the registration of minors — and several other Articles. Two of those breaches are understood to be having an undue influence over other clubs, which Chelsea claim amounted to nothing more than option arrangements that are common in football.
As well as the fine, Chelsea have been given 90 days to ‘regularise the situation of the minor players concerned’, which could involve young players suddenly being forced to leave, while the FA have been given ‘a period of six months to address the situation concerning the international transfer and first registration of minors in football’.
Ultimately Chelsea can appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
‘Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and will therefore be appealing the decision,’ read a statement from Stamford Bridge.
‘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.
It presents under-fire manager Maurizio Sarri with a headache in terms of squad management
‘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.’
While the FA had only received the findings relevant to Chelsea, the organisation was told by FIFA it must ‘address the situation’ regarding the international transfer and registration of minors.
An FA spokesperson said they had ‘co-operated fully’ with the investigation and had ‘raised some concerns’ about FIFA’s disciplinary processes and the regulations.
A statement read: ‘The FA intends to appeal against the decision. We will, however, continue to work with FIFA and Chelsea in a constructive manner to address the issues which are raised by this case.’
It emerged last March that City were the subject of a similar investigation, which was reportedly sparked by interviews given by two African players — George Davies and Dominic Oduro — to a Danish newspaper, in which they claimed to have played for City as trainees prior to turning 18.
Chelsea have a decision to make over the future of David Luiz – his deal runs out this summer
FIFA are tough on this, having handed transfer bans to Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid in recent seasons.
Barcelona were, however, successful in delaying their ban by a year on appeal, allowing them to sign Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic, and Chelsea would hope a similar delay would give them an opportunity to buy players this summer.
The Premier League club have overturned a FIFA transfer ban before, appealing successfully to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in 2010 over the transfer of Gael Kakuta from Lens.
For Sarri, a ban would raise a number of issues beyond the futures of Hazard and Hudson-Odoi who, like Willian and Pedro, are out of contract at the end of next season.
Given that David Luiz, Olivier Giroud and Gary Cahill are out of contract this summer, Chelsea may find themselves in the awkward position of having to pay over the odds to keep three players who are all in their thirties.
In January Chelsea signed Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund but allowed him to remain in the Bundesliga on loan for the rest of the season. The United States international is one of 41 Chelsea players currently out on loan.
The future of Gonzalo Higuain is also uncertain. Chelsea have options to extend the striker’s six-month loan from Juventus, either through a further loan or a permanent deal. Given Chelsea hold Higuain’s registration, it is unclear if he would be permitted to remain at Stamford Bridge. FIFA refused to comment on a specific case.
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