As if the pressure to compete in England’s Premier League weren’t high enough, now perennial competitors Chelsea will have to step it up even a notch higher. FIFA recently banned the team from signing any new players for the rest of 2009 and all of 2010 after reports surfaced that its staff had illegally approached French youth player Gaël Kakuta in hopes of signing him for the 2010 season.
The harshness of this penalty—along with a €780,000 fine for Kakuta—sets a new precedent in international soccer, warning other teams about the seriousness of utilizing prohibited recruiting techniques. While Chelsea has a right to appeal the restriction and likely will, it’s become clear that not only will the team suffer over the upcoming year, but Kakuta’s promising young career will take a hit as well.
