Mauricio Pochettino's recent remarks questioning the legitimacy of Chelsea's past titles, particularly their 2017 Premier League win, have been amplified by revelations of the club's confession to making secret payments exceeding £47 million to unregistered agents and third parties. While Chelsea self-reported these breaches, which occurred between 2009 and 2022, the penalties levied have been described as lenient.
The Premier League and FA imposed fines totaling approximately £20 million earlier this year, a sum considered by some to be a fraction of the financial benefits derived from the transactions. This penalty was equivalent to less than the compensation Chelsea received from Manchester City for a previously dismissed manager, prompting criticism for its perceived leniency. Authorities reportedly acknowledged Chelsea's cooperation in uncovering the irregularities, with an FA commission noting the club's honesty in its written explanation.
However, no sporting sanctions, such as point deductions, were applied to the club for offenses committed under the previous ownership of Roman Abramovich. This lack of on-field penalty has led to Pochettino's assertion that the titles won during that period, including three Premier League championships, should have been rescinded.
Questionable Signings
The controversy brings renewed attention to several key signings made by Chelsea during the period of rule breaches. Players such as Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o, Willian, Ramires, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle, and Nemanja Matic are named in connection with these allegedly irregular dealings.
Hazard, who joined Chelsea in 2012 for £32 million, is a central figure. Reports suggest that a move to Manchester United fell through because the club was unwilling to pay a backhander to an agent, a practice that circumvented official channels. Hazard's subsequent success at Chelsea, including 16 league goals in the 2016-17 title-winning season, is seen by critics as a significant return on a deal potentially facilitated by rule-breaking.
Willian's transfer also remains a point of contention. Tottenham Hotspur had reportedly agreed to terms with the player in August 2013, with Willian even undergoing a medical at their training ground. However, a late intervention by Abramovich, reportedly involving a phone call to the owner of Anzhi Makhachkala, rerouted the player to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea's FA documentation referenced this incident, noting a redacted individual's concern that losing Willian to Tottenham would be "not good" and add "insult to injury."
Willian was a key contributor to Chelsea's 2016-17 title victory, with notable performances against Hull City, Manchester City, and Sunderland. His contributions, including goals that turned draws into wins and decisive assists, are estimated to have been worth approximately 13 points, a significant margin given Tottenham finished seven points behind Chelsea that season.
FA Cup Semi-Final Controversy
Further fueling the debate is Chelsea's FA Cup semi-final victory that same season, where Willian scored two goals and was named man of the match. Nemanja Matic and Eden Hazard also scored in that 4-2 win, raising further questions about the integrity of a victory secured by players acquired through questionable means.
Pochettino himself stated that "Maybe with the same rules we could've signed some players that would have made the team better or scored more goals. It's not me complaining, it's the truth." This sentiment echoes concerns about the 2015-16 season, when Willian's late equalizer against Newcastle United in September is contrasted with Newcastle's relegation by two points in May.
The difficulty in retrospectively quantifying the impact of such contributions makes it challenging to assign precise sporting consequences. However, the decision to forgo sporting sanctions in favor of fines has been criticized as an affront to logic and fairness. The ongoing, larger case against Manchester City casts a shadow over these events, leaving questions about how the Premier League will address significant financial rule breaches in the future.