According to reports, Chelsea’s rivals speculate that the Blues may need to offload several players by June 30 to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. Since Todd Boehly’s takeover in 2022, Chelsea has spent over £1 billion on transfers.
Despite significant investment, Chelsea’s on-pitch results have been disappointing, with Mauricio Pochettino’s team currently struggling in the bottom half of the table. Following Sunday’s Carabao Cup final defeat, Gary Neville referred to them as “blue billion pound bottle jobs.”
The Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules have come into effect this season, resulting in Everton receiving a six-point deduction (reduced from an initial 10) yesterday. To avoid facing similar consequences, Chelsea may need to sell several players, including key first-team members, before the June 30 deadline. According to the Telegraph, Chelsea’s Premier League competitors believe that the club may be under pressure to urgently offload players to generate £100 million.
This date coincides with the midpoint of Euro 2024 and the Copa America, potentially resulting in a hectic early summer transfer window at Stamford Bridge. Sources suggest that Chelsea insiders remain calm about the situation, emphasizing that significant sales will only be necessary to acquire additional talent. However, rivals of the Blues believe that their determination will undoubtedly be challenged.
Chelsea’s concerns will be somewhat alleviated by the £28 million owed to them by Newcastle for Lewis Hall, as the Toon are obligated to purchase the youngster as part of his loan agreement.
Romelu Lukaku, who was somewhat overlooked, agreed to a £37 million release clause when he signed a new contract before joining Roma on loan last summer. The 30-year-old Belgian has scored 16 goals this season, and Chelsea will aim to secure over £30 million for the striker they re-signed for £99.5 million in 2021.
In January, Ian Maatsen was permitted to join Borussia Dortmund on loan after making just one Premier League start during the first half of the season.
Chelsea aims to secure the 21-year-old’s £35 million release clause in full this summer if he departs on a permanent deal.
Regarding homegrown players and Financial Fair Play (FFP) calculations, there is no reduction in the value of sales based on the price of their initial contracts. This scenario could lead to captain and key player Reece James being allowed to leave for a substantial fee this summer, especially considering his injury concerns. Manchester City would likely express interest if he becomes available, as they seek a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker.
Similarly, Conor Gallagher, who has been standing in as captain, could also be in a similar situation. A product of Cobham like James, Gallagher has attracted attention from Tottenham in the past two transfer windows. Although he is content at Stamford Bridge, he has not yet agreed to a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in less than 18 months.
Another potential homegrown sale could be Trevoh Chalobah, who has regained fitness in recent weeks and has drawn interest from Nottingham Forest and Bayern Munich.
Armando Broja featured 19 times for Chelsea this season before joining Fulham on loan in January. A strong performance for the Cottagers could lead to another substantial fee at the end of the season.
Marc Cucurella, arguably one of Boehly’s biggest disappointments, arrived from Brighton in a significant £62 million deal in the summer of 2022. However, he has failed to find his form at Stamford Bridge, prompting Chelsea to consider cutting their losses this summer.
Finally, Chelsea will endeavor to find a permanent destination for goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, who surprisingly joined Real Madrid on loan last summer at the age of 29.
However, he has encountered difficulties at the Bernabeu, and with Thibaut Courtois expected to recover from an ACL injury, Kepa is unlikely to secure a permanent move to Madrid.
The goalkeeper, capped 13 times, was acquired by the Blues for a remarkable £72 million in 2018 and will have one year left on his contract at the conclusion of the season.