Arsenal are claiming innocence adding that they have not in any way ran afoul of the law but the world football governing body, FIFA feels otherwise.

This informs the stern warning as well as the £34,000 fine that has been slammed on Arsenal by FIFA for violations committed during the transfer deals involving Nigerian striker Chuba Akpom to Greek club PAOK and Joel Campbell to Italian side Frosinone.

In a previously undisclosed investigation, FIFA legal documents reviewed by The Associated Press revealed the global governing body’s concerns about the terms of the 2018 departures of Akpom to PAOK and Campbell to Frosinone.

FIFA ruled the sell-on clauses for both transfers were variable, meaning if either returned to clubs in Britain Arsenal would receive a larger fee.

Arsenal placed sell-on clauses in the contracts to ensure it would receive 40 per cent of the fee if Akpom was sold to a British club, but only 30 per cent from any other team.

Frosinone was also given an incentive to not sell Campbell back to a British club as 30 per cent of the fee would have to be paid to Arsenal, but only 25 per cent if Campbell was sold to a club elsewhere.

The FIFA disciplinary committee found Arsenal to be in violation of the rules for entering into contracts enabling it to influence other clubs and for failing to declare data in the Transfer Matching System.

“The committee considers that, by the mere existence of these clauses, Frosinone and PAOK FC are influenced by Arsenal in employment and transfer-related matters,” FIFA disciplinary committee member Thomas Hollerer wrote in Thursday’s verdict document.

“The committee considers that the relevant clauses undoubtedly grant Arsenal the ability to influence in employment undoubtedly grant Arsenal the ability to influence in employment and transfer-related matters the independence, policies and the performance of PAOK FC and Frosinone’s teams.”

It is understood that FIFA has expressly told Arsenal that if such infringements occur again in the future, harsher sanctions will be imposed.

source:- fcnaija