The Football Association are to investigate allegations Manchester City breached regulations when signing Jadon Sancho from Watford in 2015.
Sancho, the Borussia Dortmund and England winger, joined City as a 14-year-old for an initial £66,000 fee under EPPP, but left in August 2017 due to a lack of first-team opportunities afforded to him.
He has since established himself as one of the brightest young players in world football and has already debuted for the Three Lions, but recent allegations have raised questions over Sancho’s Vicarage Road exit.
Der Spiegel, the German news outlet, published leaked documents which appear to show City paying Sancho’s agent, Emeka Obasi, £200,000 in relation to the transfer, and giving him a scouting contract to conceal the payment.
The fee appeared under the heading ‘Agent Fee’ in an internal club table concerning Sancho’s move, despite FA and FIFA rules prohibiting players under the age of 16 from having agents. Sancho was 14 at the time of his move.
“We can confirm that we will be investigating the allegations,” a Football Association spokesperson told The Times.
The leaks were published by Der Spiegel earlier this month and City responded with a statement in which they claimed there was an ‘organised’ attempt to damage the club’s reputation.
“We will not be providing any comment on out-of-context materials purported to have been hacked or stolen from City Football Group and Manchester City personnel and associated people,” the statement read. “The attempt to damage the club’s reputation is organised and clear.”
City are also currently being investigated by UEFA over alleged breaches of Financial Fair Play regulations, having reportedly failed to provide correct details concerning their sponsorship income.