Dutch FA investigating Chelsea and Vitesse partnership

The Dutch Football Association is investigating claims Chelsea ordered feeder-club Vitesse Arnhem to lose games in the Eredivisie.

Chelsea enjoy a close relationship with the Dutch outfit, who is run by Alexander Chigirinsky, a good friend of the Premier League club’s billionaire owner and fellow Russian Roman Abramovich.

The London club have used their partnership to aid the development of a number of their talented youngsters.

Patrick van Aanholt, Lucas Piazon, Christian Atsu and Bertrand Traore are currently on loan at the GelreDome Stadium, while Chelsea secured the services of Dutch midfielder Mark van Ginkel from Vitesse ahead of the 2013/14 campaign.

However, Vitesse’s ownership structure has been thrown into the spotlight after sensational allegations from former owner Merab Jordania, who has been banned from the Dutch side following accusations he threatened to cut CEO Joost de Wit’s fingers off.

Chelsea have dismissed Jordania’s allegations.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, Jordania said: “I wanted to reach for the title, but ‘London’ didn’t want that in the end.

“Ambition is fine but Vitesse is not allowed to reach the Champions League…I will tell you now, why (the manager) Fred Rutten left (last June). He knew that he wasn’t allowed to win the title with Vitesse.

“In the winter he brought the team to the top. We had the feeling we needed one more player to win the title, Kelvin Leerdam. The transfer seemed to be a done deal when all of a sudden ‘London’ intervened.

“We were not allowed to be too strong. I couldn’t explain that to Fred. I had to cover the club and ‘London’, but it caused a lot of tension and chaos.”

Vitesse were flying high atop of the Eredivisie summit during the Christmas period but have dropped down to third after just four wins since the New Year.

The outspoken Jordania has also claimed Wilfried Bony’s transfer to Swansea City prior to the start of the season was sanctioned to prevent Vitesse from qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.

“I wanted to keep Bony in Arnhem for six more months,” he said.

“I was in touch with Michael Laudrup, the Swansea manager at the time. I told him it was better that he took Bony in the winter, for Vitesse to start strong in the season, but Bony had to be sold.”