Chelsea Faces 74 FA Charges Over Decade-Long Rule Breaches

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has publicly distanced himself from the club's ongoing issue regarding 74 charges from the Football Association related to alleged breaches involving agents, intermediaries, and third-party involvement in player deals spanning 2009 to 2022. Maresca stated he has no knowledge of the specifics and is focused solely on pitch-side matters, leaving legal and administrative concerns to the club's hierarchy. Chelsea self-reported these potential breaches after a thorough due diligence process during the takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, demonstrating transparency and cooperating with the FA to resolve the case swiftly. Despite the serious nature of the charges, Maresca and the players reportedly are not worried about potential punishments, which could range from fines to points deductions or transfer bans, with the club expecting only a fine. Meanwhile, Chelsea has offloaded 21 players for £290 million but has left three players—Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi, and David Datro Fofana—in limbo, training separately and excluded from the first team. Maresca bluntly confirmed these three have no future at Chelsea under his management, despite an ongoing injury crisis and squad shortages.