Chelsea academy chief Arnesen at centre of the storm over Lens 'stolen' gem
'Black Zidane' magic: Chelsea's Gael Kakuta in last year's Youth Cup final against Manchester City
Frank Arnesen was ready to crack open the champagne when he returned from Lens two years ago with Gael Kakuta's signature.
'I've just landed the best kid in France,' Chelsea's academy chief told his employers in a meeting at Stamford Bridge.
A kid some observers were already calling the 'Black Zidane'. For Arnesen, it amounted to quite a coup.
The capture of exactly the kind of player he was desperate to deliver. The Dane was under pressure, according to sources at the club. Not least because many of those he had recruited since joining in a controversial move from Tottenham in September 2005 were not deemed to be of the necessary standard.
They were not advancing through the ranks and into the senior squad, which was something Jose Mourinho spoke of after leaving Chelsea.
In Kakuta, however, he had uncovered a precious gem. A gifted young winger who quickly emerged as the star of Chelsea's youth team and someone, while only 18, who has now been named in Carlo Ancelotti's Champions League squad. The boy has talent in abundance.
Quick feet, great vision, blistering pace. 'Kakuta stands out for his ability,' said Frank Lampard when the youngster first joined.
'His natural talent for someone who is just 16 is amazing.' 'Arnesen was so pleased with himself,' said one club insider. 'But it was a big relief for him to get the boy.'
The question now, however, is to what lengths Arnesen went to get the boy to come to London, and what FIFA mean when they talk about inducements.
According to reports in France, Kakuta's parents were not keen for their son to leave home so soon. His mother was against it until, say those same reports, somebody offered the family a million euros and the 16-year-old a salary of around £7,000 a week.
The allegation has been denied by Roger Boli, the player's agent and former Lens legend who ended his career at Bournemouth.
Chelsea claim Kakuta was not under contract at Lens and, therefore, deny any wrong-doing. Yet FIFA think they have done something wrong, and something pretty serious judging by the severity of the punishment. The announcement took Chelsea by surprise, given it usually takes FIFA's dispute resolution chamber two or three months to reach a decision.
The hearing for this case only took place last week. According to one source, it is partly because the world governing body has lost patience with Chelsea for what is seen as arrogance over the way they sometimes conduct transfers. So much so that Sportsmail understands former employees have been approached in recent months to assist with their investigation.
The evidence is fairly damning. The controversy that raged over their pursuit of Ashley Cole. The bizarre circumstances surrounding John Mikel Obi's capture.
The 'tapping up' of Leeds youngsters Michael Woods and Tom Taiwo, for which they had to pay £5million in compensation. In a BBC documentary by their Panorama team in 2006, Arnesen was caught offering Nathan Porritt, a 15-year-old from Middlesbrough, £150,000 - paid over three years - to join Chelsea
Arnesen was later warned by Lens of the potential consequences of a similar approach. Responding to reports linking Chelsea to Kakuta in April 2007, Lens administrative director Francis Collado said: 'The player is under contract for two more years and, if a club is attracted, they have to contact us.
'If he is contacted when he's under contract and signs for another club, the risk is a six month suspension for the player and a year ban for signing players by the club. These are FIFA rules and there is no reason for them not to apply to Chelsea.'
Under pressure: Frank Arnesen
The knives appear to be out for Arnesen, and not just at FIFA. He is at the centre of a power struggle that could seriously destabilise a club notorious for political in-fighting.
Promoted to the board in the summer, Arnesen was given a new title - Sporting Director - and put in charge of all transfer activity. 'Arnesen continues with his previous roles relating to the reserves and the academy but now also takes on responsibilities relating to the co-ordination of first-team activity and supporting the first team manager,' said a club website statement.
For Peter Kenyon it amounted to another bloody nose. Roman Abramovich had sacked Luiz Felipe Scolari as manager while Kenyon was away last season and now he seemed to be taking more responsibility away from his chief executive.
Arnesen's prominent position at the unveiling of manager Ancelotti in July told its own story but now, suddenly, he looks vulnerable. Now Kenyon might be in a position to hit back. Indeed, only last weekend the chief executive expressed his frustration over the academy's failure to produce talent.
Arnesen secured the services of Kakuta and he had the authority to sign off the deal. If Chelsea fail in their appeal and Ancelotti has to plan for the future without buying another player for 16 months, it could get very messy.
