A debate has resurfaced over whether Tottenham Hotspur deserve to be recognised as champions of the 2016-17 Premier League season, following revelations that Chelsea made secret payments worth £47m to unregistered agents and intermediaries during transfer dealings between 2011 and 2018.
Former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, who guided his side to a runners-up finish that season, seven points adrift of Chelsea, has become one of the most prominent voices to argue that his former club were denied a title they rightfully deserved. "If they admitted they broke the rules, the Premier League title was for the second-best team," Pochettino said.
A Premier League investigation found that Chelsea's payments were connected to several high-profile transfers, including those of Eden Hazard, Samuel Eto'o, Willian, Ramires, David Luiz, Andre Schurrle and Nemanja Matic. Of those, Hazard, Willian, Luiz and Matic were all part of the Chelsea squad that won the title in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte. During the period covered by the investigation, Chelsea claimed two Premier League titles, two FA Cups, an EFL Cup and a Europa League. The club has since been fined by UEFA, the Premier League and the Football Association, but no points deductions were imposed — a point of contention for many supporters, particularly given that clubs such as Everton and Nottingham Forest were docked points for comparatively minor financial breaches.
Hazard's transfer has drawn particular scrutiny. Chelsea paid Lille £32m for the Belgian in 2012, but the investigation revealed seven separate payments totalling £5.6m made to an unregistered agent between 2013 and 2016 in connection with the deal. Hazard went on to have a superb 2016-17 campaign, starting 36 league matches, scoring 16 goals and providing five assists — form that earned him a place in the PFA Team of the Year and a nomination for the PFA Player of the Year award. His goals proved decisive in several results, including wins over West Ham, Southampton and Manchester City.
Matic and Luiz, both in their second spells at Stamford Bridge after a swap deal with Benfica in 2011, were also cited in relation to payments totalling £5.1m made for "talent identification services" between 2012 and 2015. Matic made 35 league appearances in 2016-17, while Luiz, also named in the PFA Team of the Season, scored the winner in a 1-1 draw at Liverpool.
Despite Tottenham's remarkable late-season form — winning 12 of their final 13 matches to finish on a club-record 86 points — Chelsea matched that intensity, winning 11 of their last 13 to seal the title with 93 points. Chelsea lost one more match than Spurs across the season but recorded four more wins overall.
Supporters of Tottenham have echoed Pochettino's sentiments. Chris Paouros, co-founder of Proud Lilywhites and Women of The Lane, said: "He could tell me the moon was made of halloumi and I'd nod along. The Spurs 2016-17 team was the best in the league by most measures... If the playing field was tilted, the least you can do is ask the question."
Tristan Foot, secretary of the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters' Trust, acknowledged that a retrospective title would still mean something to fans, but stressed the wider implications. "It means that to an extent crime does pay in football," he said. "During the transfer window they were signing players that we had no chance of winning, the obvious example being Willian. The Premier League has got to be better about imposing sporting sanctions and making sure that its rules actually have teeth."
With the investigations into Chelsea's conduct now closed, it appears unlikely that Tottenham will receive any retrospective recognition. The debate, however, is likely to resurface again once the outcome of Manchester City's ongoing case involving 115 alleged financial rule breaches is finally determined.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.