Chelsea F.C. have been fined £10.75 million by the Premier League and issued a one-year transfer ban that will remain suspended for two years following an investigation into undisclosed payments connected to past player transfers.
The sanctions relate to financial activities that occurred during the ownership of Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, who controlled the London club for nearly two decades before selling it in 2022.
According to the Premier League, covert payments were allegedly made between 2011 and 2018. These transactions came to light during the due diligence process that preceded the purchase of Chelsea by its current American-led ownership group in 2022.
League officials said the new ownership’s decision to voluntarily report the transactions to football authorities influenced the final disciplinary outcome.
The Premier League noted Chelsea’s “proactive self-reporting” and “exceptional co-operation” during the investigation as important factors when determining the sanctions.
Alongside the financial penalty and suspended transfer ban, Chelsea have also been given a nine-month restriction on registering academy players, which takes effect immediately.
This ban relates to irregularities connected with the registration of youth players between 2019 and 2022.
Under regulations enforced by the The Football Association, the Premier League and UEFA, clubs must submit complete and accurate financial disclosures each year.
Investigators reportedly discovered several seven-figure payments made to offshore companies that were linked to player transfers but were not included in the financial records submitted to football authorities at the time.
Some of the transfer deals reviewed during the investigation are believed to involve players including Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o and Andreas Christensen.
Reacting to the sanctions, Chelsea confirmed that the club had accepted the settlement.
In a statement, the club said it “accept the terms of the settlement in full” and welcomed the league’s acknowledgement of its cooperation throughout the investigation.
“Chelsea Football Club is pleased to confirm that the club has reached a settlement with the Premier League in relation to historical regulatory matters that were self-reported by the club in 2022,” the statement said.
“As previously announced, the club voluntarily and proactively disclosed to all applicable regulators potential historical rule breaches, including incomplete financial reporting that took place over a decade ago.”
“During an extensive Premier League investigation, the club proactively disclosed many thousands of documents. Also, when requests for information were made by the Premier League, the club promptly provided comprehensive responses and facilitated all lines of inquiry to support a complex and extremely thorough process”, the club added.
What you should know
Chelsea was purchased in 2022 by a consortium led by American investors following the end of Roman Abramovich’s ownership.
Since the takeover, the club has worked with football authorities to review historical financial records linked to previous transfer dealings.
Investigations by regulators such as the Premier League and UEFA aim to ensure transparency and compliance with financial reporting rules across European football.
