Chelsea transfer ban: Blues confirm intention to appeal to CAS after Fifa decision

The Blues will now miss the next two transfer windows unless they successfully appeal or freeze the ban

Chelsea have confirmed they will go to the Court of Arbitation for Sport to appeal Fifa's decision to uphold their transfer ban for breaking youth transfer rules.

The Blues will now be unable to register players over the age of 16 for the next two windows, but the club have set out their intention to overturn the ban, insisting they "categorically refute the findings."

"Chelsea FC has today received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee," read the statement.

"The Club notes that the FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to partially uphold the appeal lodged by Chelsea FC against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. However, the Club is very disappointed that the transfer ban of two consecutive registration periods was not overturned.

"Chelsea FC categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Appeal Committee. It acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and will appeal the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)."

A Fifa statement released before read: “The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to partially uphold the appeal lodged by Chelsea FC against the decision of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee to sanction the club with a ban on registering new players at both national and international level for the next two complete and consecutive registration periods. This ban applied to the club as a whole – with the exception of the women’s and futsal teams – and did not prevent the release of players.

“With respect to all men’s teams, the ban on registering new players, both nationally and internationally for two registration periods, has been confirmed by the FIFA Appeal Committee, with the following exception:

“The FIFA Appeal Committee believes that Chelsea’s wrongdoing consisted in not respecting the prohibition from internationally transferring or registering for the first time foreign minor players. In the committee´s opinion, imposing a ban on registering each and every minor would not be proportionate to the offence committed.

“Consequently, the FIFA Appeal Committee decided that, as far as youth categories are concerned, the ban shall not cover the registration of minor players under the age of 16 who do not fall under the scope of art. 19 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, which refers to international transfers and first registrations of foreign minor players.

Chelsea look set to serve a two-window transfer ban (Getty Images)

“Additionally, the FIFA Appeal Committee confirmed the fine of CHF 600,000. The decision issued by the FIFA Appeal Committee was notified today.”

Christian Pulisic will arrive this summer from Borussia Dortmund after signing in January and returning to the German club on loan, while the Blues will be desperate to keep hold of Eden Hazard, who is reportedly considering a transfer request to secure a move to Real Madrid.

While loan players, such as Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, could return to boost the squad.