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By KIERAN GILL, MAIL SPORT REPORTER Published: 00: 07 AEDT, 17 March 2026 | Updated: 05: 45 AEDT, 17 March 2026 491 View comments Chelsea have been hit with the Premier League’s largest-ever fine as well as handed a suspended one-year transfer ban for their first team and told they cannot make academy signings for nine months after historical beaches of financial rules. Their £10. 75million fine and other sanctions come after the club’s current owners Blue Co voluntarily self-reported their financial irregularities to the footballing authorities, having discovered them while doing their due diligence amid their May 2022 takeover. Occurring under the Roman Abramovich regime, the Premier League’s investigation found that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments by third parties associated with the club were made to players, unlicensed agents and other individuals. It previously emerged that their signings of Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o and Willian were among those transfers investigated. Crucially, the Premier League found Chelsea would not have breached their PSR rules during the relevant periods, had those in charge of the club at the time reported these payments legitimately rather than try to hide them. Chelsea were given credit for their co-operation throughout the investigation, which included proactively identifying potential breaches that may have been committed by the previous ownership and disclosing approximately 200, 000 documents. It was also accepted by the Premier League that a number of the Blues’ breaches may never have been uncovered, had they not come forward with them of their own accord. While that helped Chelsea limit their first-team sporting sanction to a suspended ban, the Premier League also investigated potential breaches of their youth development rules committed by a former senior employee at the club, who is currently remaining nameless. That related to the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022, and was also self-reported by the Blues. Chelsea have been hit with a £10. 75million fine after breaking transfer rules during the Roman Abramovich era (pictured: Abramovich with John Terry in 2017) Chelsea broke rules during transfers for major stars such as Eden Hazard, who joined in 2012 The club self-reported in 2022. They have also been hit with a nine-month academy transfer ban and a suspended first-team transfer ban Chelsea also committed breaches in signing players such as Samuel Eto'o (above), Willian, and Nemanja Matic By Isabelle Martin 2011-12 Champions League FA Cup 2012-13 Europa League 2014-15 Premier League League Cup 2016-17 Premier League 2017-18 FA Cup No titles in: 2010-11, 2013-14 and 2015-16 Chelsea remain the subject of 74 charges by the Football Association - Daily Mail Sport reported last month how the club are also set to escape a sporting sanction from those. And the club say they are now grateful to have ended this matter by entering into a sanction agreement with the Premier League, the breakdown of which is as follows: a £10m fine and a suspended one-year first team transfer ban, suspended for two years a £750, 000 fine and an immediate nine-month ban from registering academy players from Premier League and EFL clubs That latter ban does not apply to Chelsea’s current players, international players, players who are registering on professional terms, or players who are applying for their first registration at Under-9 level. It is believed the breaches were related to potential infractions involving early contact and took place under the academy's former leadership, who are no longer with the club. Chelsea’s £10. 75m fine beats the Premier League’s previous record of £5. 5m issued to West Ham in 2007. The Blues will also pay the full costs of the league’s investigation and disciplinary processes. Chelsea said in a statement: '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. ‘Furthermore, during the investigation, additional evidence was provided to the club by a third party regarding potential breaches of Premier League rules committed by a former employee in a small number of historical academy transactions. This information was immediately and proactively self-reported to the Premier League. ‘The club wishes to make clear that following robust financial analysis by the Premier League, it was concluded that “in no scenario would the club have exceeded the maximum allowable loss of £105 million over the three-year assessment period in the rules. ” Accordingly there is no scenario in which the club could have been in breach of the applicable limits in the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules during the applicable seasons historically. ‘From the outset of this process, the club has treated these matters with the utmost seriousness, providing full cooperation to all relevant regulators. The club welcomes the recognition from the Premier League of its “exceptional cooperation” and that “without those voluntary disclosures and the act of self-reporting, a number of the Premier League rule breaches may never have come to the attention of the league”. ’ Chelsea added: 'We are pleased that the matter is now concluded. ’ Chelsea did what? In 2022, shortly before they took over the club, Chelsea’s new American owners were made aware that of a serious issue they would have to deal with should they complete the deal.   A report had found that the club had made a series of secret payments to players, unlicensed agents and other third parties during Roman Abramovich’s ownership from 2011 to 2018. Neither Chelsea nor the Premier League have disclosed who carried out the report.   In addition, the club also voluntarily reported itself last year over breaches of the Premier League’s Youth Development Rules, ‘committed by a former senior employee’, which related to the registration of academy players between 2019 and 2022. What were the issues? Chelsea had failed to make the authorities aware of the payments, which is a breach of the competition’s requirement to act ‘in good faith’. The new owners completed the takeover, self-reported and the Premier League launched an investigation.   Its lawyers first looked at the information to determine whether, had it been declared, the monies involved would have put Chelsea in breach of Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). They ruled that it would not. The FA later launched its own probe. Who was involved? The devil is in the detail. Inside the Premier League’s findings, Chelsea admitted that between 2011 and 2018 payments totalling £47, 524, 925. 74 were made by third party entities to 12 individuals or corporate entities. Of those, around £23m were made to seven unregistered agents over seven transfers.   Five of those seven transfers involved Eden Hazard, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle, Nemanja Matic and Ramires. A further £19. 3m was made to two entities in connection with the transfers of Willian and Samuel Eto’o. Around £1. 4m was paid to third parties and should have been treated as renumeration to former sporting director Frank Arnesen, former scout and Abramovich advisor Piet de Visser and a further, unnamed individual. Payments of £3. 8m were also made in connection with one further transfer, with the player’s name redacted. Names can be held back when they refer to minors or for data protection issues. Why did they do this? Who knows?   None of those involved remain at the club to explain themselves. If one was to speculate, this would appear to be a rare example of the long-suspected policy within football of dishing out ‘backhanders’ to look after those involved in deals being brought into the public eye. Some would claim such behaviour is common practice, however, it is rare to see a club caught out as comprehensively as this. What is the punishment? Chelsea were fined £10m, a Premier League record, and handed a one-year transfer ban, suspended for two years.   With regards to the academy breaches, they have been banned for nine months from taking players from other Premier League and EFL clubs. They can still sign players from abroad and hand out new deals to existing players.   They have also been fined a further £750, 000 and will pay the league’s costs.   The FA investigation, into 74 alleged breaches of agent regulations remains ongoing. The Premier League acknowledged the new ownership’s co-operation throughout. Had that not been the case, the penalties would have been much more severe.

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