FA chiefs are investigating potential breaches of agent rules involving Jermain Defoe’s transfer from Tottenham to Portsmouth in January 2008.
Both clubs and Harry Redknapp, Pompey’s boss at the time, are said to have dealt with an unlicensed agent during negotiations over the ex-England striker.
GettyJermain Defoe was at Portsmouth 12 months after joining in January 2008[/caption]
Defoe arrived at Pompey from Spurs but later returned to the London giantsAction Images
The matter is being treated as serious, with potentially huge sanctions facing anyone found guilty.
Clubs could be hit with a transfer ban, points deduction or even RELEGATION, while agents and players could be hit with anything from a warning to a fine or ban.
Luton Town were deducted ten points for breaking agent regulations in the same year, but the FA took no action for the Defoe case.
However, the organisation have now reopened the matter and will be “reviewing the arbitration panel award”.
It follows new claims from The Times over the £7.5million move, saying the 2008 panel found that “Mitchell Thomas, the former West Ham United and Tottenham player and an unlicensed agent, was a central figure in the deal”.
Thomas was named by the FA later that year on a list of agents working in football with no licence.
An FA spokesperson said: “The case was heard by an independent arbitration panel 15 years ago.
“The FA was not a party to the arbitration.
“It is unclear how much information was shared with the FA at the time, and no disciplinary action was taken.
“If there is new evidence which was not available at the time, and which suggests serious breaches of our rules took place, we will review it.”
Tottenham have declined to comment on the matter.
But Portsmouth have stressed the transfer came under an old regime that has long since departed the club.
TalkSPORT quote Pompey as saying: “The signing … occurred under a previous ownership and those involved in the transfer of the player’s registration from Tottenham Hotspur are no longer at the club, having left many years ago.
“The current board and ownership acquired the club in 2017 from the Pompey Supporters’ Trust and club presidents, who themselves formally acquired the club in 2013.
“The board and the new executive therefore have no knowledge of any negotiations that led to Portsmouth Football Club’s registration of Jermain Defoe in 2008.”
AFPDefoe returned to Spurs 12 months after departing, and was reunited with ex-Portsmouth chief Harry Redknapp[/caption]