Chelsea Football Club has successfully avoided a points deduction from the Premier League, despite admitting to breaching rules related to more than £47 million ($62m) in undisclosed payments made during Roman Abramovich's ownership. These payments, totaling £47,524,925.74, were made between 2011 and 2018 from third-party entities, which the Premier League identified as being "controlled by or associated with" Abramovich. The recipients included unlicensed agents and individuals connected to selling clubs, and these transactions facilitated key player transfers, including those of Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o, and Willian.

The Premier League stated that these payments were made with the "knowledge and approval" of senior former Chelsea officials but were not properly disclosed as required. In response to these breaches, Chelsea has been handed a £10.75 million fine and a one-year transfer ban, which has been suspended for two years, as part of a sanction agreement with the league. Additionally, an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban was imposed.

A significant factor in the club avoiding a points penalty was the proactive approach of the new owners. Upon completing their takeover in 2022, they voluntarily reported their concerns, a move the league's board acknowledged was crucial, stating that without this disclosure, the breaches might never have been discovered. This "exceptional co-operation," alongside the fact that the payments would not have led to a breach of profitability and sustainability rules if they had been properly accounted for at the time, led the league to conclude that a points deduction was not appropriate.

The sanction agreement detailed that no less than 36 payments were made to 12 individuals or entities on behalf of the club. More than £23 million was directed to seven unregistered agents or associated entities in connection with the transfers of seven players to the club. Among these, five players were named: Eden Hazard, Ramires, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle, and Nemanja Matic. Specifically, over £19 million was paid to facilitate the transfers of Willian and Samuel Eto'o to Chelsea from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013. The league's board confirmed that no current employee was involved in or aware of these historical payments.

Beyond the Premier League's sanctions, the information shared by Chelsea with authorities also led to 74 breaches of Football Association rules being charged last September. Chelsea anticipates a financial rather than a sporting sanction for these charges, again crediting the new owners' high level of cooperation with the FA's investigation. Furthermore, European football's governing body, UEFA, entered into a settlement agreement with the club based on the 2022 disclosures, resulting in Chelsea making a contribution of €10.6 million (£9.2m). The club has affirmed its commitment to transparency, stating it "voluntarily and proactively disclosed to all applicable regulators potential historical rule breaches, including incomplete financial reporting that took place over a decade ago."