Chelsea to discover January transfer ban fate today - will Frank Lampard be allowed to spend?

Chelsea are expected to find out today whether their latest bid to get a transfer ban thrown out in time for January has been successful.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport, in Switzerland, has been considering evidence from the club as well as Fifa as it weighs up whether the part-served punishment was fair.

The club were found guilty last season of breaching article 19 of its regulations on the status and transfer of players (RSTP), which concerns the protection of minors.

A two-window ban, which is currently due to end in February 2020, was upheld by the world governing body in May after Chelsea's first appeal to Fifa.

Details were subsequently published on the Fifa legal website stating that Chelsea claimed many academy players were only trialists and did not play in organised matches. However, one player described in this way took part in 75 games between September 2013 and February 2016.

The transfer ban came to light after it was alleged Burkina Faso forward Bertrand Traore - who moved to London from his homeland - played for the Blues for several years before being registered in 2014. Documents published by Fifa at the end of October showed its appeals committee found the Blues had committed 150 breaches of regulations. The appeals committee agreed with the disciplinary committee that the breaches were "inexcusable".

Frank Lampard said earlier this week that a verdict from Cas was expected "very soon, I believe... Days, I think". The manager has admitted keeping all his players happy remains one of his top challenges at Stamford Bridge, and his long-term planning is only complicated by the current transfer limbo.