The recruitment of a former Croydon school student has landed Chelsea Football Club in trouble.

An investigation into Chelsea's recruitment of youth players has been launched and Bertrand Traore - who attended the Whitgift School - is the reason why.

In January 2016, Press Association Sport discovered Burkina Faso international Bertrand Traore played for Chelsea's under-18s side when aged 16, which was an apparent breach of FIFA regulations.

However, governing body FIFA stressed when contacted by Press Association Sport on Wednesday, they would not confirm which specific transfers were part of the current on-going investigation.

When Press Association Sport discovered the discrepancy regarding Traore, Chelsea were supplied with a number of questions in an attempt to clarify the club's position regarding the player's involvement in games when he was under 18.

Chelsea believe Traore was the subject of an "option agreement" which allowed him to play in friendly games.

The west London club said at the time: ''Bertrand Traore was registered by Chelsea FC in January 2014 in compliance with FA and Premier League Rules.

''Prior to that date, he was party to an option agreement which enabled the club to acquire his registration in January 2014.

''The option agreement was registered with, and approved by, both The FA and the Premier League.''

The Premier League said all rules were followed in Chelsea's signing of Traore on January 1, 2014, the first day of the transfer window opening following his 18th birthday, on September 6, 2013.

What prompted the questions from Press Association Sport is the earlier recruitment of Traore and his participation in a Chelsea under-18s match at Arsenal on October 23, 2011, when he was 16.

The Press Association has a photograph of Traore taking part in the game at the Emirates Stadium.

The report on Arsenal's official website mentions Traore brushing the top of the crossbar with a 30-yard shot in the friendly fixture where his Chelsea team-mates included goalkeeper Jamal Blackman and midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, who went on to be part of Chelsea's first-team squad.

International transfers are only permitted for players over the age of 18 - unless the player in question meets one of three qualifying criteria.

Under-18s can move to a club in a different country if their parents move there for non-footballing reasons, if they are from another nation within the European Union or European Economic Area and aged between 16 and 18, or if they live within 100km of the club.