Premier League club Chelsea are free to sign players in January after their appeal against a transfer ban imposed by FIFA was reduced by half by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Friday.

FIFA handed down a two-window transfer ban to Chelsea in February of this year after football’s world governing body found the club guilty of breaching two of its regulations on player transfers, specifically regarding bringing in U18s and ‘third-party influence’.

The club had their first appeal against the sanction thrown out by FIFA’s appeal committee in April, when it was criticised for “inexcusable” breaches of the regulations.

But Chelsea made a further appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month, who accepted submissions about the case from the club as well as FIFA.

The Blues have impressed this season despite the ban and will now look to bolster their squad with new signings in January

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