Chelsea 'could face points deduction' over alleged 'secret payments' | OneFootball

Chelsea and the club’s former owner Roman Abramovich are facing scrutiny after leaked files reportedly revealed a number of secret payments that may have breached Financial Fair Play rules.

In a joint investigation carried out by the Guardian and international partners, experts have suggested that the club could face punishment from the Premier League – including a potential points deduction – if proven guilty.

The leaked files allegedly reveal a series of payments worth tens of millions of pounds over a decade, which were routed through offshore vehicles belonging to Abramovich, raising questions about whether they were declared in accounts submitted to football’s governing bodies.

Beneficiaries appear to include the agent of former player Eden Hazard, an associate of former manager Antonio Conte and other Chelsea officials. Other payments appear to have been connected to the purchase of the players Willian and Samuel Eto’o.

Chelsea finances are already subject to a Premier League investigation for the period between 2012 and 2019 after the club’s new owners voluntarily reported that “incomplete financial information” had been submitted during Abramovich’s tenure.

The club have already been fined £8.6m by UEFA, and the Guardian report that the Football Association is also looking into the accounts at Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich bought Chelsea for £140m in 2003 and during his ownership, the club won four Premier League titles, the Champions League twice, the Europa League and a number of domestic trophies.