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Football corruption

Chelsea legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink one of three names to be involved in the latest allegations

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QPR boss Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Leeds owner Massimo Cellino and Barnsley's Tommy Wright are at the centre of the latest allegations

The newspaper uncovered this week that Sam Allardyce was at the centre of a newspaper sting which led to the former Sunderland boss losing his job as England manager.

 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been reported as one name to be involved in allegations
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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has been reported as one name to be involved in allegationsCredit: Getty Images
 Massimo Cellino is another name to be revealed
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Massimo Cellino is another name to be revealedCredit: PA:Press Association

News Editor of the Telegraph, Mark Hughes revealed that Wright, Barnsley's assistant manager, has been suspended by the club after being filmed receiving a £5,000 bung.

He also revealed that Hasselbaink is filmed negotiating a £55,000 fee to work for an agency which wanted to sell players to his club.

Cellino has been reportedly filmed offering to sell part of his club to help undercover reporters get around third party rules.

Hasselbaink flew to Singapore to hold one of two meetings with undercover reporters, posing as representatives for a Far Eastern firm, to act as an ambassador for a sports company that offered to sell players to his club.

The former Chelsea striker had the understanding that the Far East firm wanted to become involved in the transfer of players and effectively would have been spending QPR's money on players represented by the firm that was paying him.

Hasselbaink was initially offered around £35,000 but was recorded saying: "I think you have to do better than that.

"Look, just try to make me happy. Cos you come up with a nice figure, you know. The 35 is... you know?"

Hasselbaink has since responded on the accusations saying: "I deny any accusation of wrongdoing on my part."

 Tommy Wright has been suspended by Barnsley
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Tommy Wright has been suspended by BarnsleyCredit: EMPICS Sport
 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has since denied any wrong doing
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Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has since denied any wrong doingCredit: PA:Press Association
 Hasselbaink has been QPR manager since December 2015
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Hasselbaink has been QPR manager since December 2015Credit: PA:Press Association

Wright had three secret meetings with the undercover reporters where he had accepted a £5,000 cash bung to encourage Barnsley to sign players part-owned by the Far East firm.

The 50-year-old attended a meeting alongside club owner Patrick Cryne and club manager Paul Heckingbottom to discuss a Far East company looking to invest in football.

However Cryne and Heckingbottom were blissfully unaware that Wright had already held three separate meetings with the firm.

In the first meeting, Dax Price, one of the consultants to the firm told an undercover reporter: "Right, listen, we've got to give him some readies to get him started. Can we give the cash?"

In return Wright agreed that he would encourage Barnsley players to hire the Far East firm as their agents.

 Massimo Cellino has had a history with dodgy deals
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Massimo Cellino has had a history with dodgy deals
 Sam Allardyce left his post as England boss on Tuesday
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Sam Allardyce left his post as England boss on TuesdayCredit: Getty Images

Leeds owner Cellino suggested that the fake firm should become a shareholder in his own club and in return would receive a percentage of his players' sell-on fees.

The FA have banned third-party companies having the right to a portion of fees when they are sold on by clubs but Cellino had found a loophole in the rules and offered 20 per cent of the sell-on fee of players by investing in the club.

In the transcript, it was reported he said of the deal: "Technically, it's perfect, for me it's beautiful.

"For me it's the best thing. But you know that by the rules here, and everywhere now, it's become every day more difficult.

"I cannot allow myself to make a mistake in England."

It is the latest line of corruption allegations to rock English football after ex-England boss Allardyce was caught on camera offering advice to undercover reporters on how to "get around" rules on transfers.



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