Chelsea Given £10.75m Fine for Breaching Premier League Financial Rules

Chelsea have been fined £10.75m by the Premier League and handed a suspended transfer ban following historical regulatory breaches during Roman Abramovich’s ownership.

The sanctions follow two disciplinary investigations launched after the club voluntarily self-reported potential historical rule breaches.

In a statement, the Premier League said: “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 £10.75m 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).”

According to the league, its investigation found that between 2011 and 2018 undisclosed payments were made by third parties associated with the club to players, unregistered agents and other external parties.

“These payments were not disclosed to the football regulatory authorities at the time, including the Premier League,” the league said. “The payments were made for the benefit of Chelsea FC and should have been treated as having been made by the club. The club has also accepted, among other things, that the making of these payments, as well as the failure to disclose them to the league, constituted a breach of the requirement to act in good faith towards the league.”

Transfers highlighted during a 2023 investigation by the Guardian and international media partners included deals involving Eden Hazard, Willian and Samuel Eto’o.

The charges also included breaches of regulations designed to prevent clubs entering arrangements allowing third parties to “influence materially the club’s policies”.

The independent commission had the authority to impose sporting sanctions, including a potential points deduction. However, the final outcome was broadly in line with a previous settlement with UEFA in 2023 over “incomplete financial reporting”, which resulted in a €10m fine.

Chelsea responded with a statement saying: “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’.”