Chelsea’s signings of Samuel Eto’o and Willian under scrutiny as Premier League launches investigation on ‘secret’ payments

Todd Boehly has already seen 4 different managers during his Chelsea reign.

Chelsea’s signings of Samuel Eto’o and Willian under scrutiny as Premier League launches investigation on ‘secret’ payments

(L-R) Willian, Samuel Eto'o (Source: via Reuters)

The Premier League is currently looking into the money Chelsea spent on players Willian and Samuel Eto’o during the Roman Abramovich era. If they find wrongdoing, Chelsea may face fines and points deduction. The signings of Willian and Samuel Eto’o from Anzi Makhachkala in August 2013 are being investigated by Chelsea’s current owners.

Apart from the reported transfer fees, undisclosed payments were made to Russian entities. Chelsea officially paid £30 million for Willian, and Eto’o came on a free transfer. However, according to reports, the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital consortium discovered additional undisclosed payments, including those to at least one player’s family.

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Additional details show that six other groups received payments in the transfer matter. These payments weren’t listed in the club’s yearly financial reports to the FA, Premier League, and UEFA, possibly breaking the rules. Chelsea hopes to escape penalties by informing the FA about these unusual payments to third parties in 2013.

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Chelsea are already facing trouble on the pitch due to their lack of good results – following a 2-0 defeat to Brentford at Stamford Bridge. The last thing the club needs is for the issues on the pitch to be compounded by issues off of it.

How do Chelsea fans view their current ownership?

Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 for a fee of £140 million. Spending close to two decades with the club, his ownership saw Chelsea win multiple Premier League titles including two UEFA Champions League trophies. However, it all came to an end when the club was sold to Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital – for a fee of £4.3 Billion – in May of 2022, and since then, Chelsea fans have not been happy.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly
Todd Boehly (Source: via AFP)

The club has spent over a billion pounds, in transfers, since the arrival of their new owners and has made no progress when compared to their rivals, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. In the new owner’s first season, the club finished the Premier League season in 12th place. Their worst placement since 1994. Things have not changed much since then as the club – 10 games into the new season – are currently sitting at 11th place.

Todd Boehly is facing widespread criticism for overspending and lacking sports expertise. Despite fans’ optimism about Chelsea’s young team, the current situation appears bleak.

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