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Chelsea faced disciplinary action for making 'secret payments' to agents, but several Premier League clubs believe the punishment imposed was too mild.

Last week, Chelsea became the latest team to face sanctions from the Premier League after being found guilty of making undisclosed payments to player agents.

The London club was fined £10.75 million and given a suspended transfer ban after voluntarily disclosing £47.5 million worth of hidden payments made to agents and third parties between 2011 and 2018, a period that coincided with the ownership of Roman Abramovich.

Although the fine represented a Premier League record, rival clubs have argued that the sanction was far too lenient. They fear this could set a precedent ahead of the ruling on Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of financial fair play regulations, which City continue to deny.

Chelsea’s punishment appears comparatively light when measured against the penalties handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest, who were docked eight and four points respectively during the 2023/24 season.

In both those cases, the Premier League determined that the clubs had violated its profit and sustainability regulations (PSR). As a result, Everton finished 15th while Nottingham Forest ended the campaign in 17th place.

According to The Guardian, officials from Everton and Nottingham Forest have held discussions this week about launching a joint legal challenge against the Premier League concerning the sanction imposed on Chelsea.

The key grievance for both clubs reportedly centres on the absence of any sporting penalty against Chelsea—such as a points deduction—for the undisclosed payments that facilitated the signings of players like Eden Hazard, David Luiz, and Willian.

While the rulings against Everton and Nottingham Forest repeatedly referenced the 'sporting advantage' they gained from their PSR breaches, the Chelsea judgment made no mention of such benefits. This is despite the fact that the club won two Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League during the time those undisclosed payments were made.

As a result, any potential legal challenge is expected to focus on alleged inconsistencies in how the Premier League applies its disciplinary measures, even though Chelsea’s violations were unrelated to PSR.

The report also noted that both Everton and Nottingham Forest are currently seeking legal counsel and have yet to reach a final decision. However, they are expected to formally write to the Premier League to request a detailed explanation of the process and reasoning behind Chelsea’s punishment.

It is understood that several clubs have already contacted Premier League CEO Richard Masters regarding the issue, but Everton are reportedly considering taking more robust action.

The breaches came to light when Chelsea’s new owners, Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, uncovered 36 undisclosed payments during negotiations to acquire the club from Abramovich in 2022, following which they reported the matter to authorities.

The Premier League has reportedly justified its decision by stating that it would have struggled to secure a conviction without Chelsea’s cooperation in self-reporting the violations.