Ouch. Chelsea Football Club are banned from making any new signings for the next two transfer windows. The ruling by Fifa comes as punishment for 'inducing' a player to leave another club for Chelsea. Teenager Gael Kakuta was poached by the Blues from French team Lens in 2007. Lens appealed to Fifa that the player had broken his contract, and that Chelsea were culpable of wooing him to do so. Chelsea have yet to make a statement on the decision, and may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If upheld, the ruling means no new players will come to Stamford Bridge until January 2011. The player, who missed much of last season through injury, also faces a £682,000 fine and a four month match ban. The punishment provides rich material for football pundits. Will the team still be able to compete with their rivals without a periodic influx of fresh talent? Or will the forced hiatus in new signings actually stabilise the squad into a something more harmonious? Image / Chris 07 in the Londonist Flickr pool.
