The player in question, Gael Kakuta, arrived from French side Lens in the summer of 2007 but the transfer came under scrutiny as it was rumoured Chelsea’s approach was in violation of FIFA rules. As a result, FIFA ,world football’s governing body, investigated the deal and subsequently imposed the ban on Chelsea and fined them near £1 million for their actions. Effectively, this means Chelsea must make do with what they have got until January 2011.
Who Is Gael Kakuta?
Little is known about the player at the centre of the transfer scandal storm; so much so, even Chelsea fans will be hard pushed to tell you anything about him. The reason for this is because the player himself is yet to make a full first team appearance for Chelsea.
Gael Kakuta is just 18 years old and currently plays for Chelsea’s youth team and reserves. The skilful French winger signed in 2007, then 16, from Lens as part of Chelsea’s ongoing commitment to bringing the best young talent to the club in an attempt to safeguard the clubs future and keep them competitive for years to come.
Kakuta’s Chelsea career started well. He was a part of the side that reached the 2008 F.A Youth Cup final, eventually losing to Manchester City. Like many in the Chelsea Academy, Kakuta’s performances caught the eye and was soon being nurtured as a possible future first team player.
However, following the news of Chelsea’s suspected dodgy deal, Kakuta has been given a four month global ban from football for breaching the terms of his Lens contract to move to London.
Chelsea’s Previous Transfer Problems
Unfortunately for Chelsea, this is not the first time the finger has been pointed at them for making suspect approaches for players.
In 2006, former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates (who was now in the same role at Leeds) reported the club to the F.A after the transfers of Leeds youngsters Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo to Chelsea. Bates claimed Chelsea made an illegal approach for the pair and said they acted like “a bunch of shysters from Siberia”.
In that same year, Chelsea were accused by Arsenal of ‘tapping up’ Ashley Cole before signing him in the summer transfer window. Cole was photographed in a London hotel meeting with Chelsea officials without Arsenal’s permission. The F.A, who warned Chelsea after the Leeds incident, fined the blues £75,000.
Then there was the John Obi Mikel transfer. Chelsea were ordered to pay Manchester United £12 million after it emerged Mikel had actually signed a contract with the Reds prior to signing for Chelsea from Norwegian side Lyn Oslo in a £4 million deal.
Chelsea’s Appeal Chances
Of course, Chelsea have denied any wrong doing in the Kakuta transfer and will appeal the sanction imposed by FIFA. Given the outcome of a similar case in 2004, Chelsea’s chances of changing the verdict look quite rosy.
In that case, Roma signed French central defender Phillipe Mexes from Auxerre in a deal the latter said breached the player’s contract with them. FIFA ordered Roma to pay £5.3 million compensation to Auxerre and were banned for one year from making transfers, while Mexes was given a six week global ban.
The ban, the same length as Chelsea’s, was overturned after Roma appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, although one transfer window had already passed by that time.
In no way does that mean Chelsea’s appeal will follow the same pattern, but the result of that case must give them hope for their appeal. For now, it’s a case of wait and see.
