Chelsea to pay Leeds £5m for tapping up Youngsters

Kingp35

It looks as if Leeds will be paid £5m by Chelsea after they tapped up three of Leeds youngsters.

The Guardian wrote:

Chelsea strike deal with Leeds over youth team players
By Ken Ferris


LONDON, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Chelsea have struck a deal with Leeds United over an alleged approach to three of the Yorkshire club's youth players in breach of Premier League and FA Rules, a joint statement from the governing bodies said on Saturday. Leeds chairman Ken Bates, who sold Chelsea to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich in 2003, reported his former club to the FA on Aug. 2 over approaches to Tom Taiwo and Michael Wood and when attempting to sign Daniel Rose. Taiwo and Woods later moved to Premier League champions Chelsea while Rose opted to stay at second division Leeds.

Bates had said at the time: "We have considerable and great weight of evidence to demonstrate quite clearly .... that Chelsea behaved consistently aggressively in stealing these two players from Leeds United. The Premier League and FA had agreed to conduct a joint inquiry into the "alleged conduct of Chelsea FC in relation to three Leeds United academy players last season".However, the joint Premier League/FA statement published by the clubs on their official Web sites on Saturday said Leeds had now withdrawn their complaint.

CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
The Premier League was advised by both clubs that any claims and litigation arising out of the allegations had been settled. "This resolution is subject to a confidentiality agreement and there will be no further statements," said the statement. British media estimated the settlement at seven figures with the Daily Mail reporting Chelsea had agreed to pay Leeds five million pounds ($9.52 million) in compensation.

The joint statement said Chelsea had also agreed to conduct an internal review of policies and procedures regarding the recruitment of players; take steps to rectify any shortcomings; take appropriate action in relation to club personnel, including Premier League approved training, and develop a code of conduct.
The statement added that "the Premier League and Football Association accordingly consider the matter closed".

In June last year Chelsea were fined 300,000 pounds and handed a suspended three-point deduction by the Premier League following an investigation into claims they had 'tapped up' Arsenal defender Ashley Cole. Cole and Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho were fined 75,000 pounds each for their part in the affair. ($1=.5253 Pound)

Is this basically an admittance of guilt?

kaisersose77

from the bbc sport site yesterday

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leeds_united/6094394.stm

"Chelsea will examine their procedure for recruiting youth players but are not thought to have admitted liability."

dcarroll

do they not have a suspended points deduction from the ashley cole saga? if they do surely now is the time for that to be imposed (and increased!)

MrJoeSoap

Kingp35 wrote:

Is this basically an admittance of guilt?

Yep. Chelsea must be the most financially inefficient outfit in the history of money.

dcarroll wrote:

do they not have a suspended points deduction from the ashley cole saga? if they do surely now is the time for that to be imposed (and increased!)

Not if Leeds get £5m and keep their mouths shut.

Kingp35

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Not if Leeds get £5m and keep their mouths shut.

As long as Leeds get the money then Bates will not push for a points deduction. Why would he because it will in no way benefit Leeds.

Im pretty delighted with this outcome because I never expected Leeds to get so much out of it.

MrJoeSoap

Kingp35 wrote:

As long as Leeds get the money then Bates will not push for a points deduction. Why would he because it will in no way benefit Leeds.

My point exactly, £5m and everyone is happy (well Leeds and Chelsea...)

therecklessone

dcarroll wrote:

do they not have a suspended points deduction from the ashley cole saga? if they do surely now is the time for that to be imposed (and increased!)

If the Leeds players were academy players then the suspended deduction wouldn't come into play, as illegal approaches to youth players is covered under a different rule. The points deduction only arises for brwach of the same rule.

Why do football authorities require Leeds to continue with their complaint to take action? Either the offence happened or it didn't, Chelsea paying Leeds after the fact doesn't change that. Why not apply the same logic on the pitch, with refs only blowing for fouls if the other team complain.

Oh hang on, that wouldn't be a good idea, would it?

:rolleyes:

p.s. I'm not having a go at either Leeds or Chelsea here, its the PL and the FA I'm unhappy with.

p.p.s. I'm fully aware Spurs did something similar with the Frank Arnensen tap up.

wheres me jumpa

Anyone know anything of these players? ie are they worth it?

KeithMur

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Yep. Chelsea must be the most financially inefficient outfit in the history of money.

If they are they got the title from Leeds a few years back.

Kingp35

wheres me jumpa wrote:

Anyone know anything of these players? ie are they worth it?

Both are regular ENgland Under 18 internationals and both made first team appearances during pre-season. Very highly rated at Leeds until they were tapped up.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock

Can the FA still charge and punish if Leeds stay quiet? I would imagine so...

wheres me jumpa

Kingp35 wrote:

Both are regular ENgland Under 18 internationals and both made first team appearances during pre-season. Very highly rated at Leeds until they were tapped up.

So not a bad bit of business for Chelsea.

AnCapaillMor

Another club paid to keep shut, altho then again who'd blame them.

therecklessone

Ikky Poo2 wrote:

Can the FA still charge and punish if Leeds stay quiet? I would imagine so...

I believe both the PL and the FA can act. Will they?

:rolleyes:

growler

I imagine it would require a formal complaint by leeds, and no doubt any payment is based on there being no such complaint.

Stky10

wheres me jumpa wrote:

So not a bad bit of business for Chelsea.

Its impossible to say with youngsters, they could spend most of their careers playing for the likes of Leyton Orient. It looks like a bad career move though, and they've been lured by higher wages. I know Chelsea have made noises about becoming financially self-sufficient, but there isn't much sign of it yet despite them buying up loads of young talent. There is no point in having them there if there are two full internationals in their position ahead of them.

They'd have been much better off staying at Leeds learning from the coaches that have got them where they are now, and eventually breaking into the first team and playing competitive matches.

Not that I'm a Leeds fan.

I also heard that the one out of the trio that didn't join Chelsea is probably the best of the three, so its not all doom for Leeds.

Kingp35

Stky10 wrote:

I also heard that the one out of the trio that didn't join Chelsea is probably the best of the three, so its not all doom for Leeds.

Yeah his name is Danny Rose. Turned 16 at the start of the season. He has made some reserve team appearances and looks good but obviously has alot of development still to go. I dont know if he is the best of the three but I do know that there is very high hopes for him.