Leaked documents have raised fresh questions about how former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich funded the club's success, revealing secret payments that may have breached football's financial fair play rules. The files, obtained by the Guardian and international partners as part of the Cyprus Confidential investigation, show a series of transactions worth tens of millions of pounds routed through offshore vehicles belonging to Abramovich.
The payments appear to have benefited Chelsea, including funds linked to the agent of star player Eden Hazard, an associate of manager Antonio Conte, and club officials. Other transactions are connected to the purchases of players Willian and Samuel Eto'o. Experts suggest the revelations could lead to Premier League sanctions, including a possible points deduction for Chelsea.
The documents, from Cypriot offshore services provider MeritServus, include an agreement in July 2017 where an Abramovich-owned company paid £10m to Federico Pastorello, an agent close to Conte, on the same day Conte signed a new contract. Another payment in March 2013 saw €7m transferred to a Dubai firm linked to Hazard's agent, John Bico-Penaque.
Chelsea's finances are already under investigation by the Premier League for the period 2012-2019, after the club's new ownership voluntarily reported incomplete financial information. The Football Association is also investigating, while Uefa has fined Chelsea £8.6m over the admission. Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 and sold the club in 2022 after being sanctioned by the UK following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
