Chelsea FC has been charged by the Football Association (FA) with 74 alleged rule breaches linked to payments made to football agents and intermediaries between 2009 and 2022.

The majority of these alleged violations are reported to have taken place during the 2010/11 to 2015/16 Premier League seasons. The charges focus on financial dealings involving agents, intermediaries, and third-party investments in players.

The FA has given Chelsea until 19 September to officially respond to the allegations.

The timeframe of the alleged breaches coincides with the ownership of Roman Abramovich, who controlled Chelsea from 2003 to 2022 before selling the club to a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022.

In a statement, Chelsea confirmed that the new ownership discovered possible irregularities during the takeover process:

“During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules.
Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA.
The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club’s files and historical data.”

Another club charged before Man City’ problems are dealt with.