Chelsea has been banned from signing players until the British summer transfer window of 2020, PrimeNewsGhana.com have analyzed some of the repercussions that could be felt by the London Club.
Finer details of the ban
Chelsea according to FIFA have breached the rules regarding the signing of players under the age of 18. FIFA said that the club had been found guilty of 29 breaches of Article 19 – the most serious infringements relating to the registration of minors. A FIFA statement confirmed the transfer ban and £460,000 fine.
Precedents
In 2014, La Liga giants Barcelona were barred from signing players for two windows until 2016 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected their appeal. The ban related to the 'transfer of minors' and the current Chelsea case seems like something pretty similar.Â
Unhappy supporters
The discontent among the Stamford Bridge faithful when Jorginho replaced Ross Barkley last night against Malmo was audible. Maurizio Sarri's midfield lynchpin from Napoli has come under criticism for his performances this season, mostly because he's displaced fan favourite N'Golo Kanté in the defensive midfield role. Kanté won the World Cup there and is regarded by many as the best in the world in the position. Even last night, Sarri selected Mateo Kovacic in the "Kante role" which shows a level of stubbornness not appreciated by fans.Â
While Sarri is still at the helm, he'll continue to deploy Jorginho there and with a transfer ban, he won't be able to scour the globe for an upgrade. If the squad stays roughly as it is now, and that will happen if a transfer ban is imposed, the voices of discontent will grow.
Sarri clearly wants a technician at the base of midfield to move the ball quickly and implement his "Sarriball" methods, but the Italian manager might not get enough time to do that.
Players at both ends of their careers
The aforementioned Hudson-Odoi now presents a major dilemma for the club's hierarchy. It was persistently reported that Bayern Munich's offers for the player were rebuffed by Chelsea, even though it was the teenage winger's intention to leave unless he was offered increased playing time and improved terms on his contract, which incidentally expires in 2020. Should the club cash in one of their most prized young assets now? On the other end of the spectrum, what will the club do about club captain Gary Cahill, who's now on the fringes of the first team?
The loudest cheers heard at Stamford Bridge last night were for 18-year-old Callum Hudson-Odoi, a player that was heavily linked with an exit from the club and who is not getting the requisite amount of time on the pitch to keep him happy. This is a situation that needs resolving and fast.
What to do about Eden Hazard?
The star man's future at the club has been persistently debated to the point where Hazard himself didn't rule out a move to Real Madrid. If Chelsea fails to qualify for the Champions League next season, it seems highly likely that Hazard will jump ship. Chelsea will recoup a potentially huge fee for the Belgian, probably in the region on nine figures and north of £100m, but they won't be able to search for a replacement. Besides, Hazard replacements don't grow on trees.
Light at the end of the tunnel
Chelsea fans have long called for the club to give youth a chance, and the moment might have come, albeit in enforced fashion. With the possibility of no arrivals of proven, first team players, the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Mason Mount (on loan at Derby County) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (if he stays) can stake their claim and showcase their talents. In terms of retention of key players, the club might take a hard stance on the Eden Hazard situation and keep him at the club until his terms run down. Yes, they'll lose one of the best players in the world for free, but they'll also have his talent at the club until that time.Â
Chelsea faces up to Manchester City this Sunday in the EFL Cup final.
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