By Federico Calabrese
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Index
The transfer window hasn’t officially opened yet, but Chelsea has already been active in the market, aiming to provide Enzo Maresca with a squad capable of competing on all fronts for the upcoming season. But how much of a financial burden do these new reinforcements place on the Blues’ accounts?
Chelsea’s Transfers So Far
So far, the London club has made five signings. Liam Delap was purchased for around €30 million, signing a six-year contract. Joao Pedro will cost €60 million, including fixed fees and bonuses. Jamie Gittens arrived from Borussia Dortmund for €52 million, Dario Essugo for about €19 million, and Kendry Paez for €18 million. The current balance is clearly negative: Chelsea has spent around €228 million, while earning just about €17 million, resulting in a net deficit of €210 million.
Watch Out for Fair Play Violations
What does all this mean? Now more than ever, UEFA is monitoring club finances and expenditures for teams participating in the Champions League. A clear example is Barcelona, which has repeatedly risked being excluded from the top European competition due to its financial mismanagement.
To register these new signings on the Premier League’s List A, the balance between income and expenditure must not be negative. Chelsea needs to generate at least €60 million in additional income to avoid sanctions from UEFA. It’s important to remember that earnings from cup competitions do not count toward Financial Fair Play rules, meaning that money from the Conference League and Club World Cup cannot be used to fill these financial gaps.
From Sterling to Nkunku and Madueke, Chelsea has many surplus players — and now, in addition to incoming deals, the Blues must start focusing on selling players to avoid unpleasant surprises ahead of the next season.
By Federico Calabrese
