Deeplinks: Kakuta Transfer Saga; Ancelotti the Forgotten Man; 10 Best Mourinho Spats; All-Time Most Shameful Dives; and More

The latest Chelsea FC and football news in links.

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The Independent has an anatomy of the Kakuta deal that led to the transfer ban.

“I told Peter Kenyon that Kakuta had signed a contract. In France we call it the contract aspirant. Players are not allowed to sign professional deals until they are 16 so instead they sign a bridging deal with the clubs. It is a deal that says when they get to 16 they will agree to sign a professional contract with the club. Kakuta’s contract was lodged with the FFF [French Football Federation]. It was all above board. He was our player.”

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The Telegraph says our chances of a successful appeal appear slim. We face limited legal options, according to legal experts.

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But we could be allowed to sign new players in the January 2010 transfer window despite the Fifa ban, according to the BBC. The Court of Arbitration for Sport has indicated that if we take the full 21 days to appeal, our ban may be frozen while a decision is made.

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Nick Harris in the Independent writes that we knew the score regarding Kakuta’s deal with Lens, but under English law we felt we could ignore it.

We did and it cost us dear.

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The Sunday People reports that we will bid to overturn the transfer ban by claiming Kakuta’s mother, rather than the player himself, signed his pre-contract agreement with Lens.

Interesting if true. [Thanks to PeteW for the link.]

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Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, says the punishment is ‘draconian’ but was probably issued as a warning to other clubs.

He supports a transfer ban on Under-18s.

“There’s been a general feeling that a ban on movement of players under the age of 18 would be better for the game,” Taylor told 5 Live’s Sportsweek.

It would also be better for the players in the long run.

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The Times says Frank Arnesen could find himself in hot water at the club if embarrassing details of his courtship of Kakuta leak out and Fifa’s transfer ban is upheld.

The Independent reports that Kenyon will come off worst of all, and why it may work out for Abramovich in the end.

Also in the Independent, Sam Wallace asks: What does Arnesen have to do to get the sack?

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The Guardian reports that we are facing another legal threat over the signing of 11 year-old Jérémy Boga from French club ASPTT Marseille. ASPTT are said to be consulting lawyers over whether to make a fresh complaint to Fifa.

Another transfer ban would certainly make life easier for Kenyon as he continues the fight to balance our books.

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Martin Samuel in the Mail writes: Let’s all get real over this story of slavery…

“When the word ‘slavery’ is bandied around so readily we need to identify what exactly is dehumanising about giving a young man the opportunity to improve his terms, conditions and job prospects when the alternative is to bind him to a contract at a young age that could impact on his professional opportunities and earning potential.”

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What about Carlo Ancelotti, the forgotten man in this mess? The Telegraph says he is the real victim of the Kakuta saga.

I wonder if he was made aware of any potential punishment prior to signing on the dotted line?

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Joe Lovejoy writes in the Guardian that our “youth system has been as productive as a one-armed paperhanger in recent years”.

He’s got a point.

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Lastly, a couple of more light-hearted links.

The Daily Mirror lists Jose Mourinho’s 10 most special spats with managers and other football figures, while the Mail has a selection of YouTube videos of all-time most shameful dives.

Mourinho in 2006 after the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool: “Did the best team win? I don’t think so. In the Premiership Liverpool have no chance. In a one-off game maybe they will surprise me and they can do it. In the Premiership the distance between the teams is 45 points over two seasons.”

Liverpool will never win the League while Benitez is in charge.

Related

• Chelsea ban scandal: So what does happen to the babes at Stamford Bridge?
• Chealsea’s [sic] tainted team of youngsters [I see Duncan Castles now writes for Murdoch at The Times. Best place for him.]
• The Last Word: Child Catcher is nightmare tale for all big clubs
• Life without the transfer window may make life easier for Chelsea
• Michael Ballack warns he might quit after 2010 World Cup