FIFA investigate Man City and Chelsea for recruitment of youth players

FIFA are investigating Chelsea and Manchester City for irregularities relating to the two club's recruitment of youth players, according to the BBC.

It's the third time football's governing body have investigated Chelsea -- they were banned from signing youth players for two years in 2009 due to the signing of Gael Kakuta from Lens. The ban, though, was overturned on appeal. 

Two years ago, Chelsea were looked into by FIFA again following the arrival of another youth player: Bertrand Traore (now at Olympique Lyon) from Association Jeunes Espoirs De Bobo-Dioulasso.

"We can confirm that an investiagtion is underway, although we cannot give more details," said FIFA, who have previously punished Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid and Barcelona. 

Last May, Man City received a fine of 300,000 pounds (340,000 euros) and were banned from signing players for their academy domestically for the next two years after being found guilty of contacting players who belonged to other clubs. 

City say they are unaware of FIFA's investigation and insist they "have done nothing wrong." Chelsea, meanwhile, say they have "fulfilled all of FIFA's statutes and rules when signing footballers." 

Last January, FIFA punished Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and left them unable to sign "any domestic or international player during the next two transfer windows" for breaking rules when signing international youth players. 

The Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced Madrid's ban to just one transfer window, although Atletico's ban stood, ending when the transfer window closed earlier this month.