World football's governing body FIFA will on Thursday study an appeal by Chelsea against a ban that currently means the Premier League giants will be unable to recruit new players this summer or in the January 2020 transfer window.
The Blues were banned from signing players for the next two transfer windows after being found guilty in February of breaching regulations relating to the recruitment of minors.
Chelsea denied any wrongdoing and subsequently lodged an appeal with FIFA, which will be examined Thursday, although a decision could take weeks.
Chelsea were left "astonished" by the FIFA Appeal Committee's decision not to suspend its sanction pending completion of the appeal process.
The goal, according to a source, is to deliver the decision "before the opening of the summer transfer window" to allow the club possible recourse to the Court of Arbitration for Sport should the appeal go against it.
Chelsea will eagerly await the FIFA decision, notably because under the ban the club would be unable to sign a replacement for Belgium striker Eden Hazard, who is being touted as a possible ?100 million (116 million euros, $131 million) transfer target for Real Madrid.