The Stevens Inquiry has raised concern around some 17 Premier League transfers. Here is a summary of the report's main findings and the questions that remain unanswered.
1. Agent Pinhas Zahavi has failed to co-operate fully with the inquiry while there remain questions around his relationship with and payments to fellow agent Barry Silkman. The clubs, club officials and players listed below all co-operated fully, but the inquiry has issues with the agents' conduct. As a result, the following transfers remain uncleared:
Collins Mbesuma (to Portsmouth)
Aiyegbeni Yakubu (to Middlesbrough)
Fabio Rochemback (to Middlesbrough)
Didier Drogba (to Chelsea)
Petr Cech (to Chelsea)
The inquiry recommends that FIFA are asked to launch their own inquiry into the conduct of Zahavi based on the evidence obtained.
2. Despite his co-operation, the inquiry has concerns regarding the involvement of former agent Craig Allardyce, son of current Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce, in a number of transactions at Bolton. The following three transfers in which Craig Allardyce was involved remain uncleared:
Ali Al-Habsi (to Bolton)
Tal Ben Haim (to Bolton)
Blessing Kaku (to Bolton)
The inquiry also remains concerned at the conflict of interest that it believes existed between Craig Allardyce, his father Sam Allardyce (the then manager at Bolton Wanderers) and the club itself.
The Inquiry recommends that The FA continue with their investigation into these matters, assisted by the considerable information gathered by Quest. The Inquiry also understands that the Bolton Chairman, Mr Gartside, is prepared to share the results of the Club's own detailed investigation with the football authorities to assist in this matter. We welcome this development.
3. The Inquiry has still not been able to sign off a further two involving Francis Martin - Albert Luque (to Newcastle), and Michael Essien (to Chelsea). There is no evidence to suggest any irregular payments to club officials or the player.
4. The transfers to Newcastle of Emre, Jean Alain Boumsong and Amady Faye are all uncleared although the inquiry found no evidence to suggest any irregular payments by or to club officials. However, there remain inconsistencies in evidence provided by former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness.
5. Agent Willie McKay acted for Auxerre in the transfer of Benjani Mwaruwari to Portsmouth and for Pompey themselves in the transfer of Aliou Cisse but the inquiry is still awaiting clarification in relation to various documents provided by him and is not prepared to clear these transfers at this stage
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One thing I've thought of: There are 2 transfers involving Middlesbrough players from a fair while back, does that mean our current England manager Steve McClaren could be implicated??
