Chelsea face transfer ban as FIFA explore deal for teenager

There may be trouble ahead.

The smiles at Stamford Bridge over the possible transfer ban facing Real Madrid may have turned to tight-lipped grimaces this morning with news of a possible FIFA investigation into one of their own signings involving a teenager. The Blues are hoping that the ban handed down to the La Liga side, as well as Atletico Madrid, would ward off Los Blancos from a summer move for Eden Hazard. But the Premier League champions may find themselves in some bother of their own according to various reports today in relation to Bertrand Traore. Traore signed for Chelsea in January of 2014, having agreed an initial arrangement before his official registration. However the difficulty the club now face is that the Burkina Faso international featured for the club in an U16 friendly match against Arsenal that both clubs considered a friendly, but which FIFA may take a dim view of as he was still not under contract at the time, and the game was considered a 'trial' match. The governing body did not allow any transfer of Under-18 players unless they meet some strict criteria and Barcelona have already suffered under a ban after breaking the transfer regulation. Both Madrid clubs are likely to appeal their bans for similar offences. FIFA have not confirmed as of yet that they are investigating Chelsea, with the club hopeful the deal, which was approved by the FA and Premier League at the time, is all above board.