Chelsea fined £10m, given suspended transfer ban over agent breaches
What's new: The FA dropped an initial suspended points penalty, and the fine will be directed to grassroots football.
Chelsea were fined £10 million and handed a suspended two-window ban on registering new players after the Football Association found multiple transfer-rule breaches dating to Roman Abramovich's ownership. The case covered deals between 2009 and 2022 involving unlicensed agents and concealed transfer arrangements, including moves linked to Samuel Eto’o, Eden Hazard and Willian. Written reasons showed an independent commission had first backed a harsher sporting sanction, but that was replaced on appeal. The FA and Premier League had argued against a points penalty. The sanction was cut after Chelsea self-reported the violations in 2022, cooperated with investigators and entered an early guilty plea.