ANKARA

UEFA launched investigation into the finances of Turkish football club Fenerbahce on Friday, the club said.

The inquiry by the European football governing body is being carried out under the Financial Fair Play rules that govern how much a club can spend on players.

In a statement on its website, the Istanbul club said its income from UEFA competitions had been frozen while the investigation is ongoing.

Fenerbahce, one of Turkey’s “Big Three” clubs alongside Galatasaray and Besiktas, spent a lot of money on two big-name signings over the summer - Dutchman Robin van Persie and Portuguese star Nani.

If the club is found to have violated the fair play rules it faces a range of penalties from a warning to disqualification from European competition.

The rules were introduced in 2011 to ensure clubs do not get into financial difficulty in spending more than they earn in a bid to achieve success.