Fulham will not be eligible to register academy players from other teams for the next six months due to the current sanction imposed by the Premier League. It is related to a transfer activity involving Fabio Carvalho when the player was still playing for Balha FC, formerly known as Balham Blazers FC.
Carvalho joined Fulham when he was 13 years old in 2015. When the Portuguese was bought by Liverpool in the summer of 2022 for around £5 million transfer fee. From that deal, Fulham had an agreement with Balham when Carvalho joined The Cottagers that if a club bought him, Balham would get compensation.
The transfer was not recognised by the Premier League
The thing is Balham is not recognised as a transferor club and the payment of any sums is not permitted under Rule U.38. Fulham has appealed twice to the Premier League regulator which both ended up rejected, in December 2022 and January 2024. The Premier League then ordered Fulham to pay £75,000 following this breach.
Carvalho himself has been going back and forth on loaning tenure with multiple clubs since joining Liverpool. Starting last summer, he was going to RB Leipzig for a six-month loan. When returning to Anfield in December, The Reds loaned him out again and this time to Hull City.
Fulham are currently sitting 13th in the Premier League which was a setback from last season when finishing at 10th. The Craven Cottager-based team managed to stay at the top flight for two consecutive seasons since returning last season.
ALSO READ