England football manager Sam Allardyce is facing an FA investigation after he was filmed appearing to tell businessmen how to get around rules on player transfer payments.
England football manager Sam Allardyce is facing an FA investigation after he was filmed appearing to tell businessmen how to get around rules on player transfer payments.
Shortly after taking over the national side, Allardyce met a group of people who he believed were representatives of a Far East firm.
However, the “businessmen” were actually undercover reporters taking part in a Daily Telegraph investigation.
Footage appears to show him telling the reporters it was possible to get around Football Association rules – enforced since 2008 – that stop third parties “owning” football players’ economic rights.
The practice was also banned by world governing body FIFA in May 2015.
When asked about the rules, Allardyce was filmed on a hidden camera saying: “It’s not a problem.”
He told the reporters that an unnamed group had been “doing it for years” and “you can still get around it”.
The newspaper claims a deal was struck with the England manager worth £400,000.
The Daily Telegraph has reported the FA has requested to see “the full facts in relation to this matter”.