Chelsea have not given up hope of being able to sign players in the summer window after Fifa confirmed the club’s appeal against their transfer ban will be heard on April 11.

Even if Fifa uphold the two-window ban, the timing of the hearing should give Chelsea the opportunity to go to the Court of Arbitration of Sport and try to have it frozen until they rule on it.

Chelsea were furious that Fifa refused to freeze the ban while they consider the appeal, but the process is being dealt with quicker than previous cases involving Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

Chelsea were banned from registering new players for two transfer windows and fined £460,000 for 29 cases of breaking rules regarding the signing of young players.

The date of the appeal gives the Blues some hope that they may still be able to sign players this summer and effectively prepare for an impending ban.