Chelsea Transfer Ban Upheld as CAS Confirm Blues' Appeal Will Not Be 'Heard' This Summer

Chelsea have been dealt a major blow after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) revealed they will not listen to the club's case until after the summer,

Chelsea have been dealt a major blow after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) revealed they will not listen to the club's case until after the summer, meaning they are resigned to making no additions this window.

CAS published the list of cases that will be heard over the rest of the summer - with Chelsea not featuring among them - meaning Maurizio Sarri, or whoever comes in to replace him, won't be making any additions in the current transfer window.

Chelsea’s transfer ban appeal will NOT be heard until after the summer window shuts. CAS has published the list of cases that will be heard over the rest of the summer - with the Chelsea appearance NOT among them. (via @MartinLipton) #CFC

— ChelsTransfer (@ChelsTransfer) June 12, 2019

On the pitch it has proved to be a fruitful season for the Blues, securing third place in the Premier League behind runaway duo Manchester City and Liverpool, reaching the Carabao Cup final and prevailing over Arsenal to lift the Europa League. 

However, their joy has quickly dissipated following the news, as revealed by The Sun, that their proposed two-window ban will come into effect this summer.

But despite filing the appeal last month, Chelsea have not asked CAS to freeze the ban, after it was claimed that doing so could potentially increase it from a two-window to a three-window ban.

FIFA imposed the punishment back in February after finding the club guilty of 29 breaches of regulations over transferring of minors, highlighted by the transfer of Bertrand Traore back in 2011.

OZAN KOSE/GettyImages

There is still the possibility that Chelsea could ask for the ban to be frozen, but more than likely just for it to be cut in half, allowing them to make signings in January - with their argument likely to be that registering players in the summer window is far more significant.

After losing Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, it leaves the west London outfit in a perilous position knowing their only chances of a summer arrival is making the loan move of Mateo Kovacic permanent from Los Blancos - although he would hardly be a like-for-like replacement for Hazard.