Stevens targets transfers
20 Dec 2006 - 14:51:05
The Premier League will investigate 17 transfers in the wake of Lord Stevens' inquiry into illegal payments in football.
Lord Stevens looked into a total of 362 transfers, but would not give details of the 17 questionable deals, while Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore said a "small but significant number of agents" would not co-operate with the inquiry.
Lord Stevens' team made 38 recommendations in its report, including the creation of a new body to handle the audit of transfers, rather than the Football Association.
"The FA and the compliance unit does not have the credibility of the public or the clubs," said Lord Stevens.
"The proposed regulation and compliance unit must be established with expertise and independence to take on this work.
"Part of the FA's problems has been the lack of forensic investigators and accountants. The work must be preventative.
"Agents' failure to respond has resulted in delays to this inquiry. We will be providing the Premier League with a number of incidences where mandated processes have not been followed."
