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Chelsea transfer ban upheld by FIFA

FIFA have rejected Chelsea’s appeal against their two-window transfer ban.

Chelsea were banned from registering new players for two transfer windows in February, following an investigation into their signing of foreign U18 players.

The news will come as a major blow to the club, with summer recruitment plans now on hold. As it stands, Chelsea are able to purchase new players, though the club will not be able to register them until summer 2020.

It means permanent deals for on-loan duo Gonzalo Higuain and Mateo Kovacic are not possible at this stage, though Christian Pulisic’s move from Borussia Dortmund will not be affected.

US international Pulisic was signed by Chelsea in January for a fee of £58m, with the 20-year-old registered and loaned back to the Bundesliga club for the remainder of the season.

Chelsea do have the option to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to overturn the decision, with the club having always maintained their innocence.