As per emerging reports, Nottingham Forest are thinking about filing a formal complaint with the Premier League about the penalties Chelsea received for undisclosed payments made during the Roman Abramovich era. Forest and Everton have talked about working together, but neither club have made a formal decision yet.
Chelsea broke Premier League rules in the past and were fined a record £10.75 million and given a one-year transfer ban, which would not take effect for two years. The investigation found that more than £47 million was paid to several people or companies involved in transfers between 2011 and 2018, but there were no sporting penalties, such as a points deduction.
This week, Forest and Everton are said to have discussed working together to challenge the Premier League, as they believe the rules have not been applied fairly. It is believed that the clubs are preparing to write to the Premier League to request a formal explanation for why it hasn’t punished Chelsea more seriously.
Forest saw four points deducted in the 2023/24 season after admitting that they had gone over the PSR limit of £61 million by £34.5 million. Everton lost eight points during the same season because they broke PSR rules. This put them in a relegation battle that they barely pulled out of. But Chelsea, whose secret payments were linked to big deals for stars like Eden Hazard, Willian, and Samuel Eto’o, did not lose any points at all.
The Chelsea ruling doesn’t mention “sporting advantage,” which is a big concern for both clubs. This is because the Blues won two Premier League titles and the Champions League while the undisclosed payments were being made. The Premier League said that Chelsea’s willingness to report themselves and work with them were factors that helped them decide on their punishment.
The football world in general is becoming more worried that the Chelsea ruling could set a bad example, especially since Manchester City’s case is still open. In the next few days, both Forest and Everton are likely to ask the league for a full explanation of why and how they came to that decision.
Chelsea Fined Record Sum But Avoid Points Deduction
Chelsea were fined a record £10.75 million, but they did not lose any points for breaking the rules during the Abramovich era.
On March 16, 2026, the Premier League said that Chelsea had been punished after investigating financial issues that arose when Roman Abramovich owned the team. Along with the £10.75 million fine and the suspended first-team transfer ban, the Blues are not allowed to sign academy players for nine months.
During Abramovich’s time as CEO, it is said that former senior employees and directors were aware of and agreed to the payments. Most importantly, the Premier League found that Chelsea would not have broken rules about profitability and sustainability if the payments had been reported correctly. This was the main reason why the team did not lose any points.
After buying Chelsea in 2022, the current owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, chose to disclose the problems. League officials said that Chelsea could have been banned from making any transfers for two consecutive windows if they had not worked with them. Meanwhile, the Football Association is still running a separate disciplinary process for the same violations.