Chelsea risks two-year ban 

Chelsea face the threat of a two-year transfer ban following a long FIFA investigation into the signing of Bertrand Traore.

Officers from FIFA’s Integrity and Compliance unit have spent three years delving into the Traore case and 13 other transfers involving the London club and players aged under 18.

According to French online news site Mediapart, one of the organisations publishing the findings of Football Leaks, the unit recommends Chelsea are punished with a fine of £45,000 and an embargo on all signings to cover a total of four transfer windows.

One window relates to Traore and the other three windows to offences involving the 13 other alleged offences.

FIFA are investigating other Premier League clubs for similar breaches.

Burkina Faso international Traore signed his first professional contract in September 2013 after his 18th birthday.

He was registered in the January 2014 transfer window.

Revelations by Mediapart, however, claim FIFA have found evidence to suggest Chelsea misled them regarding the real dates and acted in bad faith.

Traore had played for Chelsea at the age of 16 in an Under 18 match against Arsenal. The club also admitted they had paid his mother £155,000 in April 2011 to acquire a first-refusal option to sign him.

And a further £13,000 was paid to the club AJE Bobo-Dioulasso, chaired by Traore’s mother.

It was also claimed that the agreement was an option for four-and-a-half years when the limit for players under the age of 18 is three years.

Chelsea on Wednesday night said: “The club has fully co-operated with FIFA and has provided comprehensive evidence demonstrating its compliance with FIFA regulations. We will not comment further.”

A FIFA spokesman added: “Investigations were opened concerning Chelsea as well as other English clubs. No further information can be provided.”

Meanwhile Chelsea will consider loan offers for Gary Cahill, 32.