Chelsea FC have acknowledged making undisclosed payments amounting to £47.5 million to agents and other parties between 2011 and 2018, during the ownership of Roman Abramovich.
The findings, contained in a sanction agreement with the Premier League, revealed that the payments were made with the awareness and approval of certain former senior officials at the club. These transactions were uncovered during due diligence following the club’s takeover by new American owners in 2022, who subsequently reported the issues to the Premier League, the The Football Association, and UEFA.
As part of the sanctions, Chelsea have been handed a nine-month ban on registering academy players, relating to breaches between 2019 and 2022. However, the Premier League noted that the club’s cooperation and voluntary disclosure significantly influenced the final decision.
The investigation identified multiple questionable payments, including some linked to transfers involving players such as Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o, and Andreas Christensen, which were not properly declared in financial submissions.
Chelsea had previously been fined £8.64 million by UEFA in 2023 for incomplete financial disclosures tied to the same period. While UEFA’s rules limit investigations to a five-year window, the Premier League’s regulations allow for a broader review of past conduct.
Source: 3news
