Chelsea fined £10.75m and handed suspended transfer ban over secret payments linked to transfers
Chelsea are facing renewed scrutiny over historic transfer dealings after previously undisclosed payments linked to player transfers were uncovered during the club’s change of ownership.
The issue dates back to deals completed between 2011 and 2018, when the club was under the ownership of Roman Abramovich.
Payments discovered during takeover review
According to reporting by Sky Sports, the payments came to light in 2022 when a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital purchased the Premier League club.
During the due diligence process surrounding the takeover, the new ownership group identified a number of financial transactions that had not been fully disclosed in the club’s accounts.
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Chelsea subsequently self-reported the findings to the Premier League, the Football Association and UEFA, triggering further examination by the governing bodies.
Offshore companies linked to transfer deals
Investigators are believed to be reviewing at least six payments made to offshore entities connected to player transfers.
Sky Sports reported that the payments, which were worth millions of pounds, were not included in the financial information Chelsea originally submitted to football authorities.
The deals under review are understood to include transfers involving Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o and Andreas Christensen, although the full scope of the investigation has not been publicly detailed.
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UEFA previously issued financial penalty
Chelsea have already faced disciplinary action from UEFA over financial reporting from the same ownership period.
In July 2023, the European governing body fined the club €10 million (£8.64 million) after determining that financial information submitted for the 2018 and 2019 seasons was incomplete.
However, UEFA’s investigation was limited by its five-year statute of limitations, meaning it could only examine potential breaches as far back as the 2017-18 season.
Premier League investigation ongoing
The Premier League, unlike UEFA, does not impose a time limit on historical financial breaches.
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As a result, the league is able to investigate alleged payments dating back more than a decade.
Clubs competing in English football are required to submit accurate financial records each year to the Premier League and the Football Association, and to UEFA when participating in European competitions.
The league has not yet announced whether any formal charges will be brought following its review.
Sources: Sky Sports, UEFA
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