CHELSEA TO BE CHARGED

Last updated : 06 March 2005 By editor

From The Observer:

'Chelsea's pursuit of their first league title for 50 years looks set to be disrupted by a charge of 'tapping up' Arsenal's Ashley Cole that could cost the Premiership leaders points.

The Premier League are highly likely to formally accuse Chelsea of trying to poach the England left-back during a meeting involving manager José Mourinho, the agent Pini Zahavi and Cole just before the January transfer window closed.

Premier League lawyers have almost finished compiling the evidence on which the League's board will decide whether or not to charge Chelsea with a breach of rule K3, which is intended to stop one member club trying to recruit another's player without permission.'

An announcement about a charge in the Cole affair is expected later this week but disciplinary problems are mounting for the wannabes.

Mourinho is also due to face an FA hearing after accusing United players of 'cheating' during their Carling Cup semi-final in January. And Chelsea face Uefa action for arriving late on the pitch for the second half of their Champions League match in Barcelona and for Mourinho's refusal to show up at the post match press conference.