The Premier League has been examining undisclosed payments made by Chelsea FC between 2011 and 2018, during the period when Roman Abramovich owned the club. The transactions were uncovered during the financial review process conducted when the club was acquired by new American owners in 2022.
According to reports, the findings have resulted in Chelsea being fined £10.75m and receiving a one-year transfer ban, suspended for two years, over improper payments linked to agents and other individuals. The club has also been handed a nine-month ban affecting Academy transfers.
The investigation into the secret transactions revealed that several questionable payments were made during the specified period.
The irregularities surfaced during the ownership transition in 2022, when the new stakeholders conducted due diligence. Following the discovery, the club voluntarily reported the issues to the Premier League, the Football Association, and UEFA.
Earlier, UEFA had fined Chelsea €10 million in July 2023 for incomplete financial disclosures relating to reporting under the previous ownership in 2018 and 2019.
Investigators identified at least six suspicious payments directed to offshore entities connected to player transfers. These sums were not reflected in the financial statements submitted to football authorities at the time.
The transfers under review are believed to include deals involving Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto’o, and Andreas Christensen.
Football regulations require clubs to submit accurate financial records annually to both domestic and European governing bodies.
While UEFA can only examine potential breaches within a five-year window, limiting its scope to matters from the 2017/18 season onward, the Premier League is not restricted by such a limitation period.
