LIVERPOOL HAVE BEEN banned from signing academy players from English clubs for the next two years and fined £100,000 (€117,000) by the Premier League after being found guilty of breaching regulations in their attempt to sign a youngster from Stoke City.
The Reds were found to have breached Premier League rules when they attempted to register a 12-year-old Potters academy player last September.
The boy’s parents pulled out of the move after Liverpool reportedly decided against paying the child’s private school fees, which had previously been agreed.
After the boy’s parents complained about the proposed deal a Premier League investigation found Liverpool had spoken to the boy prematurely and had offered a number of inducements to encourage the move, including hosting the boy and his family at Anfield for a game.
“An application by Liverpool in September 2016 to register him, following Liverpool and Stoke agreeing compensation, was rejected by the Premier League Board due to an offer to pay the player’s private school fees,” the Premier League said in a statement.
“In an investigation following that rejection, the Premier League found evidence that Liverpool’s conduct prior to applying to register the player contravened league rules.
“The league found evidence demonstrating regular communications between representatives of the club and members of the player’s family.
“This included hosting them at Anfield for a match with expenses paid and other efforts to encourage the player, via his family, to sign for Liverpool. League rules strictly prohibit the offer of any inducements to encourage a move.”
Liverpool have consequently been fined £100,000 (€117,000) for their conduct and have been handed a two-year ban from signing any academy players who have been registered with other English league clubs in the previous 18 months.
The second year of the ban is suspended for three years and will be activated in the event of a similar breach by Liverpool.
A brief statement from Liverpool said: “The club accepts the sanction.”
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