Stevens' bungs inquiry reveals suspicious deals

Lord Stevens, the former Metropolitan Police Commissioner who has been conducting a 15-month probe into football's finances after allegations about a culture of corruption among Premiership managers, filed his report with the Premier League.

"All outstanding matters, together with full and relevant documentation, will now be passed to the FA and FIFA who have the required powers to investigate further and consider the next appropriate steps," said the Premier League in an update to its clubs. "In the event that any future evidence comes to light that involves a breach of rules then this will be dealt with by the relevant authority accordingly."

The FA spokesman said: "Following the final report of the Premier League's Quest Inquiry, the FA will give full consideration to its contents and the documentation that is due to be passed on by the Premier League and Quest. "The FA has provided full co-operation and support to the Premier League and Quest and will now go through their information as part of our governance and regulation process. This will determine what action is required."

Five Premier League clubs have been named by Lord Stevens as having breached transfer regulations. Transfers completed by Chelsea, Newcastle, Bolton, Middlesbrough and Portsmouth have all been highlighted, and some of the clubs could now face further investigation by the FA.

However, Stevens' findings reveal there is no evidence of irregular payments to club officials or players.

In December, The Premier League asked Lord Stevens to undertake further investigations into 17 transfers conducted by the five clubs. Of the 17 transfers, four relate to Newcastle, four to Bolton, three to Chelsea, three to Portsmouth and two to Middlesbrough, while one transfer has not been disclosed.

• Petr Cech ��" Rennes (FRA) to Chelsea, GBP 7 million (1.6.2004)
• Tal Ben Haim - Maccabi Tel Aviv (ISR) to Bolton, Undisclosed fee (7.7.2004)
• Didier Drogba - Marseille (FRA) to Chelsea GBP 24 million (20.7.2004)
• Blessing Kaku - MS Ashdod (ISR) to Bolton, free transfer (28.8.2004)
• Jean-Alain Boumsong - Rangers (SCO) to Newcastle, GBP 8 million (1.1.2005)
• Amady Faye - Portsmouth to Newcastle, GBP 2 million (25.1.2005)
• Yakubu Ayegbeni - Portsmouth to Middlesbrough, GBP 7.5 million (4.7.2005)
• Emre Belozoglu - Inter (ITA) to Newcastle GBP 3.8 million (14.7.2005)
• Collins Mbesuma - Kaizer Chiefs (SAF) to Portsmouth, free transfer, (1.8.2005)
• Michael Essien - Lyon (FRA) to Chelsea, GBP 24.4 million (19.8.2005)
• Albert Luque - Deportivo La Coruna (SPA) to Newcastle, GBP 9.5 million (26.8.2005)
• Fabio Rochemback - Sporting Lisbon (POR) to Middlesbrough, undisclosed fee (31.8.2005)
• Benjani Mwaruwari - Auxerre (FRA) to Portsmouth, GBP 4.1 million (1.1.2006)
• Ali Al-Habsi - Lyn Oslo (SWE) to Bolton, Undisclosed fee (7.1.2006)
• Aliou Cissé - Birmingham to Portsmouth, GBP 300,000 (6.8.2004)
• Julio Correia - Real Sociedad (SPA) to Bolton (2004)
• One other transfer has not yet been disclosed

Stevens’ report has also lists specific concerns about two managers, Sam Allardyce and Graeme Souness.

Sam Allardyce - Cconflict of interest that it believes existed between the former Bolton manager, and his son Craig, then a licensed agent.

Graeme Souness - Inconsistencies remain in evidence provided by Souness, then Newcastle manager, and Kenneth Shepherd, son of chairman Freddy, as to their respective roles in transfer negotiations.

Stevens has also picked out six agents that have either failed to co-operate or been involved in the deals that the former police chief has refused to sign off.

Pini Zahavi
Zahavi was involved in five of the 17 transfers called into question.
Initial failure to disclose involvement in some transfers.
Failed to provide complete bank statements.
Lack of responsiveness.
Payments to agent Barry Silkman.


Ehud Shochatovitch, Pini Zahavi's solicitor, told Observer Sport that Zahavi seriously considering legal action against Stevens' company - Quest. Zahavi himself told Observer Sport: "I was expecting this. I knew they would target me to justify it. But where is their proof?"

Zahavi points to inconsistencies in Quest's work, however, saying several other transfers in which he was involved had been given the all-clear.

Craig Allardyce
Concerns about his role in a some Bolton transactions.
Possible involvement in deal for Julio Correia.
Concerns at conflict of interests involving his manager father, Sam, and the club

Willie McKay
Received payments and, despite a degree of cooperation, inquiry still awaiting clarification regarding various documents he provided. Aliou Cissé and Benjani deals not cleared.

Francis Martin
Unanswered concerns remain regarding his involvement in the transfer of Julio Correia. The inquiry has not been able to sign off a further two transfers involving Martin. Inquiry has unanswered questions relating to payments made by Martin, believed by Newcastle to be working for Deportivo La Coruna, the selling club, in the deal that took Albert Luque to St James' Park. Questions remain unanswered over his relationship with Morris, Fabien Piveteau and Thomas Belsoeur in the deal that took Michael Essien from Lyon to Chelsea

Barry Silkman
Failure to initially disclose his involvement in all the transactions in which he received fees

Mike Morris
Unanswered concerns remain regarding his involvement in the transfer of Julio Correia. Questions remain unanswered over his relationship with Francis Martin, Fabien Piveteau and Thomas Belsoeur in the deal that took Michael Essien from Lyon to Chelsea

A statement from Lord Stevens read: "Many lessons have been learned and strict adherence to and enforcement of the recommendations should ensure that the game and the transfer market can proceed in an untainted and transparent manner."

Chris Heaton-Harris, the vice-president of the Association of Football Agents insists he is happy with the Stevens Report.

"Most agents are actually reputable businessmen who just want to get on with their jobs and work with the Football Association and work with the Premier League and have worked very happily with Lord Stevens. "There are, I'm afraid, still a few rogue agents out there and this inquiry has highlighted that. I guess money does corrupt a few," Heaton-Harris told the BBC.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.