• Gaël Kakuta, Lens and Chelsea agree original deal was invalid
• Decision will be blow to Fifa’s bid to get tough on contracts
The transfer ban imposed by Fifa on Chelsea over the transfer of promising teenager Gaël Kakuta from Lens was today overturned on appeal. The Court of Arbritration for Sport said Fifa’s ban on Chelsea signing any new players until 2011 would be annulled after Kakuta, Lens and Chelsea all agreed that the players’ contract with the French club was not valid.
“The CAS has noted that, in the agreement, the two clubs and the player have recognised that the contract between the two clubs and the player was not valid,” said CAS. “Accordingly, the player could not have terminated it prematurely and without just cause.”
Last September, Fifa stunned Chelsea and sparked a wide ranging debate on the global market in young talent by finding that Chelsea had illegally induced Kakuta to join the club in 2007. The promising attacking midfielder was banned for four months and Chelsea were forbidden from signing any players for two transfer windows and fining Kakuta and the club €780,000.
The sanctions were suspended while Chelsea appealed to CAS, meaning they would have been eligible to sign players in the January window. In the event, however, Carlo Ancelotti claimed he was happy with his squad and made no signings of note.
The decision will be seen as a blow to Fifa, which has been determined to get tough on the issue of players breaching their contracts, fearing that smaller clubs were not being properly compensated for youngsters that they may have developed. Kakuta was originally claimed to have a so-called “training contract” with Lens and the fact that CAS has found it to be invalid could have wide-ranging implications.
At the time of the verdict, Chelsea said it was “totally disproportionate” and vowed to appeal “in the strongest terms possible”.
Kakuta, whose ban was also suspended while the appeal was heard, has made four appearances for Chelsea this season after making his debut against Wolves at Stamford Bridge in November.
ChelseaLensFootball politicsOwen Gibsonguardian.co.uk