• Fifa set to consider appeal before summer window opens • Club could seek interim ruling from Cas if it is rejected

Fifa expects to consider Chelsea’s appeal against a two-window transfer ban before the market formally opens this summer, in effect allowing the Premier League club time to seek an interim ruling at the court of arbitration for sport should their appeal be rejected.

Chelsea claimed to be “astonished” on Friday after seeing an initial request to freeze the ban from registering new players until the summer of 2020 for breaches relating to the recruitment of minors – they were charged with 92 breaches of article 19 alone, and found guilty of 29 of those cases – rejected by Fifa’s appeal committee. They pointed to leeway granted to Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, who had all successfully delayed bans by appealing, and suggested the governing body was guilty of double standards.

Quick guide Chelsea's transfer ban Show Hide What happens next? Chelsea protest their innocence and have taken to Fifa’s appeals committee. It is not clear whether they will submit new evidence or simply ask the committee to re-examine information already provided. In the event of Fifa’s appeal committee upholding the ban, Chelsea could file a further appeal with the court of arbitration for sport. Will Chelsea definitely be banned from the summer transfer window? No. Any ban would take effect only upon completion of the appeal process, which has taken a long time before – although Fifa are expecting to consider Chelsea's appeal before the summer window opens. Chelsea may still be free to sign new players this summer, but their bargaining position would be weakened. What were the outcomes of similar appeals? In 2014, Barcelona signed Luis Suárez, Ivan Rakitic and Marc-André ter Stegen while awaiting the outcome of an appeal against a similar ban, which was eventually upheld by Cas, leaving the Catalan club unable to buy players during 2015. The following year Real Madrid got a ban reduced by Cas to one transfer window. In 2017, Atlético Madrid’s two-window ban was confirmed by Cas. Chelsea have previously appealed successfully against a Fifa ban when, in 2009, Cas ruled that they were not guilty of wrongdoing when bringing Gaël Kakuta from Rennes. What does this mean for Chelsea’s current squad? If players such as Eden Hazard and Callum Hudson-Odi wish to leave this summer, they may find the exit blocked if the club is not allowed to sign new players. That, however, would allow them to leave for free the following summer when their contracts, like those of Willian and Pedro, expire. Players currently on loan at other clubs, such as Dujon Sterling, Mason Mount and Tammy Abraham, could find more opportunities at Stamford Bridge. Are any other Premier League likely to face similar punishment? Fifa is investigating four Premier League clubs. Only Manchester City have been publicly identified.

Fifa has clearly moved to prevent clubs emulating their counterparts in Spain by seeking tactical delays to the process in order to buy new players in anticipation of a ban, yet also believes new cases will be heard far more swiftly than in the past. The appeal committee is now chaired by Thomas Bodström, a former AIK Stockholm defender and justice minister of Sweden, and has taken on new senior lawyers.

Should it rule, as anticipated, by the end of the season and uphold the original judgment, then Chelsea – who deny any wrongdoing – would still have time to take the case to Cas and, under the Cas code would be able to seek an interim ruling which would allow them to trade players while the court addresses the issue.

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Chelsea were caught on the hop by Fifa’s announcement on Friday and, while they have yet to receive the governing body’s written reasons, made clear their dismay that they would not be granted the same wriggle room as the likes of Real and Barça. “Chelsea Football Club is astonished by the Fifa appeal committee’s decision not to suspend its sanction pending completion of the appeal process,” said a statement. “The club acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and has already notified Fifa of its intention to appeal against the disciplinary committee’s decision and sanction.

“As a matter of procedural fairness and equality of treatment, and Swiss law, the club’s right to an appeal process must be afforded, before any irremediable sanction takes effect. So far as the club is aware, in all previous cases where a registration ban has been imposed by Fifa, a decision has also been made to suspend the sanction until the appeal process has been completed. In this case, Chelsea considers that it is being treated inconsistently in comparison with other European clubs.”

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They went on to stress they would consider their next steps, intimating potential legal action if the appeal process were to drag into the summer without resolution, a scenario that Fifa is confident it will avoid.