Chelsea get transfer ban overturned
CHELSEA are free to embark on a summer spending spree after their 18-month transfer ban was revoked by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The Blues were banned in September after world chiefs Fifa ruled they had illegally induced French youngster Gael
Kakuta to break a contract with Lens and move to England. Chelsea successfully appealed to CAS for the ban to be suspended, pending an appeal, and were yesterday cleared of any wrongdoing.
Chelsea are widely expected to make a big-money summer bid for France winger Franck Ribery, and will now be free to do so.
CAS said both clubs and the player now accepted that Kakuta’s contract at Lens was not valid and could therefore not have been broken. Chelsea have also agreed to pay Lens compensation for developing the winger.
“We are pleased to have come to an amicable resolution of the matter and that it has been ratified by CAS and recognised by Fifa,” said Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck.