LONDON, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Chelsea has been charged by the Football Association with 74 alleged rule breaches relating to payments to agents between 2009 and 2022.

The majority of the alleged offences are linked to activity between the 2010-2011 and 2015-2016 seasons, and concern dealings with agents, intermediaries, and third-party player investments.

The club has been given until 19 September to respond.

Chelsea was owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich from 2003 until 2022, when he sold the club to a consortium led by American investor Todd Boehly and private equity firm Clearlake Capital.

In a statement, Chelsea said: "During a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase, the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules."

"Immediately upon the completion of the purchase, the club self-reported these matters to all relevant regulators, including the FA."

"The club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process, including by giving comprehensive access to the club's files and historical data," the statement added. ■