Arsene Wenger believes Chelsea have got off lightly over the controversial signing of Gael Kakuta.
Gunners boss expects Blues to spend big in January
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes Chelsea have got off lightly over the controversial signing of young Frenchman Gael Kakuta.
Chelsea were banned from signing players until January 2011 after Fifa found them guilty of inducing Kakuta to cancel his contract with Lens.
However, Chelsea have been cleared to make signings in January as they wait for their appeal against a worldwide transfer ban to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Wenger is unhappy that the punishment has not been carried out and feels the move was designed to allow Chelsea to sign players in the New Year to help soften the blow of losing a number of key stars to the African Cup of Nations.
"It is no punishment," Wenger told
The Times. "Until the appeal court comes forward, they can buy. That suits them well. They used a loophole in the rules.
"You can't blame them for that. If it's legal, it's legal. But I think they used that loophole because of the African Cup of Nations."
Wenger has also warned the rest of the Premier League that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich may go on a spending spree in the January transfer window.
"I believe Abramovich has a little pause in his head, that's how I see it," added Wenger.
"Is that down to the recession, is that down to how far he wants to go? Now this season, I am convinced he is ready to go again."
