Chelsea Handed Suspended Transfer Ban After Rule Breaches

‎Chelsea have been fined £10.75 million by the Premier League and handed a one-season transfer ban, suspended for two years, after breaches of regulations dating back to the club’s ownership under Roman Abramovich.

‎“The Premier League has concluded two separate disciplinary processes involving Chelsea Football Club, following the club voluntarily self-reporting potential historical breaches of rules,” the league said.

‎“Two sanction agreements have been ratified by an independent commission under which Chelsea FC has accepted fines totalling £10.75m for breaches of the Premier League’s rules relating to financial reporting, third-party investment, and youth development.

‎“The club has been sanctioned by the Premier League with an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban and a suspended one-year first-team player transfer ban (suspended for two years).”

‎The league stated that, from 2011 to 2018, undisclosed payments were made by third parties linked to Chelsea to players, unregistered agents, and other third parties.

‎“These payments were not disclosed to the football regulatory authorities at the time, including the Premier League,” the league said.

‎“The payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea FC and should have been treated as having been made by the club. The club has also accepted, among other things, that the making of these payments, as well as the failure to disclose them to the league, constituted a breach of the requirement to act in good faith towards the league.”

‎Deals in the spotlight, highlighted in a 2023 Guardian investigation with international media partners, included transfers of Eden Hazard, Willian, and Samuel Eto’o.

The charges against Chelsea included breaches of rules that bar deals enabling third parties to materially influence the club’s policies.

‎The commission had the power to impose a sporting sanction, such as a points deduction, but Chelsea anticipated a result similar to the 2023 UEFA resolution over incomplete financial reporting, which carried a €10m fine.

‎Chelsea said, “From the outset of this process, the club has treated these matters with the utmost seriousness, providing full cooperation to all relevant regulators. The club welcomes the recognition from the Premier League of its ‘exceptional cooperation’ and that ‘without those voluntary disclosures and the act of self-reporting, a number of the Premier League rule breaches may never have come to the attention of the league’.”