Liverpool have been banned from signing any players to their Academy from other Premier League clubs for two years and fined £100,000 after they were found guilty of illegally approaching and offering an 11-year-old an inducement in order to join the Anfield outfit.
The academy player in question was previously registered with Stoke City, but even though a compensation fee was agreed between Liverpool and Stoke in September 2016 for his transfer, the Premier League Board rejected the move due to the Merseyside club offering to pay the player's private school fees.
An investigation was launched into the move, which discovered that Liverpool had contravened Premier League rules regarding the signing of young players before they applied for his transfer.
A Premier League statement read: "The League found evidence demonstrating regular communications between representatives of the club and members of the player's family. This included hosting them at Anfield for a match with expenses paid and other efforts to encourage the player, via his family, to sign for Liverpool. League rules strictly prohibit the offer of any inducements to encourage a move."
The Premier League added that Liverpool had "cooperated with the Premier League's inquiries in a timely and thorough manner and admitted the rule breaches asserted against them", but have still been made to pay the £100,000 fine in full immediately.
However, the second year of the ban will be suspended for a period of three years, and will be activated if the club commit a similar breach.
It prevents them from signing any academy player from other Premier League clubs, as well as sides in the Football League.
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