Chelsea may face disciplinary action

Shaun Wright-Phillips and English Chelsea may face charges for dealing with Mitchell Thomas, an unlicensed agent, according to reports by the Guardian. The Football Association is examining the details of Wright-Phillips move from Manchester City to Stamford Bridge in July 2005. This investigation has been prompted by the Law Society's case against solicitor Timothy Drukker, the person who signed the paperwork in the Wright‑Phillips deal. Drukker is said to have given Thomas a significant part of the GBP 1.2 million fee that he got from Chelsea. The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal ruled in January that Drukker was guilty of "conduct unbecoming a solicitor" and in "misleading" the agency that conducted an inquiry into the deal for the Premier League, Quest. He was fined GBP 15,000, as the tribunal felt that Drukker's actions "had resulted in the undermining of the FIFA regulations" even if there was no actual dishonesty on his part. In the course of the case, Drukker told the tribunal that "parties close to Shaun Wright-Phillips" brought him into the picture to act as his agent after the details of the move to Chelsea had been agreed.

If the FA decides to move forward with taking disciplinary action, it can only reprimand Chelsea and Wright-Phillips as Thomas, a former Tottenham Hotspur and Luton Town defender, in not a licensed agent and hence not governable by any football rules. This case will add strength to the FA campaign to use only licensed agents. Without the licensing, the FA is powerless in regulating the multi-million dollar deals typical of many player transfers. At the time Chelsea acquired Wright-Phillips, it paid Manchester City GBP 21 million a sum that was critical for City to deal with its pressing financial situation of that time.

FA has said of the case against Drukker that, "We are aware of the outcome of these proceedings and are considering what action, if any, may be appropriate in relation to football rules." Chelsea has consistently maintained that it acted appropriately and both the club and Wright Phillips say that Thomas was not involved in the transfer and that Drukker negotiated the deal.