Chelsea slapped with record fine and suspended transfer ban over secret payments to agents
Chelsea have been given a suspended one-year transfer ban and fined £10.75million in relation to historical breaches of Premier League rules.
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The club have also been hit with an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban, the Premier League announced.
The sanctions relate to information shared with the league by a consortium featuring American businessman Todd Boehly following the consortium’s takeover of the club from Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2022.
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Chelsea’s American ownership self-reported potential breaches during the Roman Abramovich era after their takeover in 2022 in the hope of reducing and sanctions.
The investigation into financial reporting and third party investment centred on payments relating to deals to sign Samuel Eto’o and Willian in 2013 as well as Eden Hazard the year before.
Between 2011 and 2018, secret payments were found to have been made to players, unregistered agents and other third parties which were not reported by the club.
A Premier League statement read: "The Premier League has concluded two separate disciplinary processes involving Chelsea Football Club, following the Club voluntarily self-reporting potential historical breaches of rules.
"Two sanction agreements have been ratified by an independent Commission under which Chelsea FC has accepted fines totalling £10.75 million 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)."