Chelsea have been hit with a suspended two-transfer window ban and a fine by the FA for breaches made under former owner Roman Abramovich and it has now been confirmed that they were initially facing a points deduction
Club escape suspended six-point deduction on appealOwners admitted secret payments by previous regimeChelsea have been fined £10m by the FA and served with a suspended transfer ban for multiple violations of transfer rules during the Roman Abramovich era.The sanction reflects a similar punishment handed to the Blues by the Premier League earlier this year after the club were found to have used unlicensed agents and sought to obscure the nature of their transfer dealings between 2009 and 2022. Deals involving Chelsea legends Samuel Eto’o, Eden Hazard and Willian were among those found to have breached the rules. The commission originally handed down a stronger sanction that would have given Chelsea a suspended six-point deduction, but it was overturned after an appeal by the club. Continue reading...
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Al Hilal are already looking to strengthen the squad to compete for every title. However, Karim Benzema could lose a teammate, as Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. After failing to win the Saudi Pro League title last season, Al Hilal have already decided to strengthen their roster, signing Crysencio Summerville for the wing. However, they remain open to bringing in more players, looking to reinforce Karim Benzema in attack. To do so, the Saudi side is preparing key departures, opening up foreign-player slots. With this in mind, Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. According to Arriyadiyah, a well-known Saudi media outlet, Darwin Núñez is very close to leaving Al Hilal on loan, heading to the Portuguese league. Both FC Porto and Benfica are closely monitoring his arrival, with negotiations already underway. Despite having played in LaLiga and the Premier League, the Uruguayan striker produced his best version in the Primeira Liga, so a return there would be key. With Benzema’s arrival, Darwin was left out of Al Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad, leaving him available only for the AFC Champions League Elite. With the veteran Frenchman and Marcos Leonardo, the Uruguayan striker appears to have no place in the team, making his departure almost mandatory. With this, Núñez seems set to end his spell in the Saudi Pro League without playing a single minute alongside Karim. Darwin Núñez has gone from being one of the best strikers in the Premier League to becoming a marginal player in the Saudi Pro League. In the 24 matches he has played, he has scored only nine goals and provided five assists, disappointing many. Because of this, a return to the Primeira Liga would be key to rediscovering his best form, as he is only 27 years old and is looking to relaunch his professional career. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal controls the ball during the Saudi Pro League match. Jader Duran’s arrival to Benfica could shut door to Darwin Núñez Recognizing Darwin Núñez as a great talent, SL Benfica are looking to bring the Uruguayan striker back for the 2026-27 season. Head coach Marco Silva faced him on numerous occasions in the Premier League and could look to relaunch his career. However, the 27-year-old striker will not have an easy path to earning a place, as they have just signed Jhon Jader Durán on loan, which would leave him out of the rotation. Head coach Marco Silva not only has Durán, but also Vangelis Pavlidis, Franjo Ivanović, and Anísio Cabral. Therefore, Darwin Núñez would be the fifth option or adapt to the left wing. In his spell at Benfica, the Uruguayan striker scored 48 goals and provided 16 assists in 85 games, but he is not coming in his best version and needs continuity. With this in mind, FC Porto seem to be his best option to have continuity.
Celtic's lack of transfer activity is "an unchanging and wearying" story, according to The Times' Scottish football correspondent Michael Grant. The Parkhead club have signed only one player this summer - striker Camilo Duran - although manager Martin O'Neill insisted they are close to further deals after Saturday's sparsely attended friendly against Middlesbrough. At a recent fan Q&A in Cork, chief executive Michael Nicholson said the club were finding it "difficult" to compete with English Premier League and Championship clubs, as well as dealing with agents.
Set to face Argentina in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals, Johan Manzambi will be one of the main absences for Switzerland national team. Switzerland faces Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Saturday, July 12th, with a semifinal spot on the line. However, heading into one of the toughest challenges of their 2026 World Cup run, La Nati will be without one of their standout performers. Manzambi has been ruled out of the quarterfinal against Argentina due to a knee injury. The Swiss midfielder picked up the problem during a training session that kept him out of the Colombia match, and he has been unable to recover in time to face the Albiceleste, with head coach Murat Yakin leaving him off the substitution bench entirely. Yakin addressed the situation at Friday’s press conference, acknowledging the efforts made to get him ready: “We tried everything that we could to get him back, unfortunately, he’s unable to perform tomorrow.” He issued an update on the player’s status, and how the team is affected over his absence. “Johan Manzambi is in a lot of pain. It was a shock to all of us. This momentum was on his side, and there is so much joy when he plays football,” Yakin concluded. Manzambi Johan #9 of Switzerland stretches during a training session. In his absence, Switzerland will line up with Dan Ndoye and Fabian Rieder on the flanks, while Djibril Sow steps into the attacking midfield role Manzambi would have occupied behind striker Breel Embolo. Manzambi, Switzerland’s breakout star of the 2026 World Cup Manzambi began the World Cup on the bench but quickly forced his way into Yakin’s plans with a series of eye-catching performances. He scored a brace in the 4-1 group stage win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, then added a goal and an assist in the 2-1 victory over Canada, contributing to both goals. He carried that form into the Round of 32, providing the assist for Breel Embolo’s opener in a 2-0 win over Algeria. The knee injury brought his remarkable run to a halt, ruling him out of both the Colombia quarterfinal qualifier and now the match against Argentina. His performances have already had a tangible impact on his career, however. According to The Athletic, Newcastle United and Freiburg have reached an agreement for the midfielder to join the Premier League side in a deal worth in the region of £50 million ($67 million).
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