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Blues handed 18-month signing ban
Chelsea, 13:58, September 3, 2009 ,
Chelsea have been banned from registering any new players until January 2011 after being found guilty of poaching.
Frenchman Gael Kakuta signed for the Blues in 2007 from Lens but the Championnat outfit complained that he broke a contract with them and that Chelsea induced him to do so.
FIFA have found in Lens' favour and ordered Chelsea to pay 130,000 euros in compensation while Kakuta has been suspended for four months and ordered to pay compensation of 780,000 euros with Chelsea also jointly liable for that figure.
But it is the transfer sanction which will hit the Blues hard, especially with the African Cup of Nations taking place early next year.
A statement confirmed: "Chelsea are banned from registering any new players, either nationally or internationally, for the two next entire and consecutive registration periods following the notification of the present decision."
Chelsea were relatively quiet over the summer in the transfer market and that does not look like changing for 18 more months.