Chelsea insist their policy for youth player recruitment is based around London, in accordance with Football Association regulations.

Setting out his role as "a headhunter around the world" at a Leaders in Football conference last year, Chelsea's head of player recruitment, Frank Arnesen, explained self-imposed age limits on overseas acquisitions.

"London is our first aim for seven to 12-year-olds," said Arnesen. "At 12-14 we go a little bit further but still London, for 14-16 it's around the UK and at 16-18 it's the European Union. At 18-plus, it's the rest of the world."

Chelsea have been banned until January 2011 from signing players by FIFA after their capture of Gael Kakuta from Lens.