International sport's top court on Friday suspended a transfer ban imposed on Chelsea while it rules on a dispute over the signing of French youngster Gael Kakuta.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has granted the request for a stay filed by Chelsea Football Club Ltd and Mr Gael Kakuta in relation to the decision taken by the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber on 27 August 2009," the Lausanne-based court said in a statement.

The English Premier League side had asked for a suspension in a bid to sign new players during the January transfer window.

The ban on signing any new players until January 2011 was imposed by world football's governing body FIFA in August, when its Dispute Resolution Chamber concluded the Blues had induced Kakuta to break his contract with his first club, Lens.

A four month suspension imposed by FIFA on Kakuta was also lifted temporarily pending a full ruling on the case by the arbitrators.

The statement added: "Such sanctions are now stayed until the CAS renders its final decision in this matter."

AFP

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