Controversy in England: Chelsea received 74 charges for irregularities in transfers

Recently, Chelsea's owners surprised everyone by announcing their intention to buy Neymar's Santos, but on the same day they received an unexpected blow: the Football Association (FA) opened proceedings against the club for 74 charges related to transfers and commissions.

According to the official statement, the violations span from 2009 to 2022 and are linked to agents, intermediaries, and third-party investment. The report details that between February 2023 and February 2024 Chelsea paid more than 80 million euros in commissions, thus breaking several regulations:

• J1 and C2 Regulations of the FA Football Agents Regulations
• A2 and A3 Regulations on Working with Intermediaries
• A1 and B3 Regulations of the Third-Party Investment in Players Regulations

Although the events occurred during Roman Abramovich's era as owner, the sanction would fall directly on the London institution, which now faces a delicate scenario.

In its statement, Chelsea asserted: "During a thorough due diligence process prior to the purchase, the ownership group became aware of the possible incompleteness of financial information related to historical transactions and other possible violations of FA rules".

"Immediately after the purchase, the Club reported these matters to all relevant regulatory bodies, including the FA", it concluded.

The case could result in severe sporting and financial sanctions for the "Blues", amid a context in which they seek to expand their brand globally with investments in other clubs.