Chelsea don’t want to risk a three-window transfer ban with a frivolous appeal — report

First reported over a month ago, Chelsea are looking ever more likely to begin serving the FIFA-imposed two-window transfer ban this summer. While the club have apparently submitted an appeal to CAS after the FIFA Appeals Committee not unexpectedly confirmed FIFA’s decision, Chelsea have not asked for the ban to be “frozen” while CAS consider the appeal.

According to the Telegraph, this is because of a “real fear” that CAS could deem that request frivolous and the whole appeal just a ploy to game the system — which, well, it would be, to allow the club to conduct business as usual despite falling afoul of regulations — and thus extend the ban to THREE transfer windows.

The transfer ban extension would be unprecedented, but that wouldn’t be the first unprecedented thing to happen in this process.

With the ban thus continuing to be in place, Chelsea’s transfer season could be one of the least silly in decades. The only signing we can make is Mateo Kovacic, and only before his loan contract expires at the end of the month — fortunately, there are rumblings of that happening soon. While Eden Hazard remains likely to leave, Callum Hudson-Odoi seems ready to sign a new contract and we of course have Christian Pulisic arriving as well, one of multiple loanees and youngsters who could truly make a big splash at Stamford Bridge next season (regardless of who the manager will be).