Chelsea must reportedly raise over £60 million ($82m) in player sales to register their new signings for next season’s Champions League, with UEFA’s financial regulations forcing the club into a balancing act. Despite a lucrative Club World Cup run, the Blues face a race against time to offload stars or risk being unable to field their summer recruits in European competitions.
- Chelsea must sell players to meet UEFA registration rules
- Over £60m in sales needed for Champions League eligibility
- Key stars like Sterling and Nkunku could be offloaded
WHAT HAPPENED?
Chelsea are under UEFA pressure to meet strict financial rules following a record-breaking fine last week. Despite earning close to £60 million ($82m) from their Club World Cup run, that money cannot be used to offset their Champions League registration balance. UEFA’s ‘List A’ requirement means Chelsea must ensure income from sales covers the cost of registering any new players, as per The Times.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
As it stands, Chelsea’s summer signings, Liam Delap, Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Estevao Willian, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr cannot play in UEFA competitions unless Chelsea’s incoming fees outweigh their outgoing costs. With players like Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana also yet to be registered on List A, Chelsea’s balance sheet is rapidly filling up. The club is now relying on permanent outgoings to reach the necessary margin for eligibility.
TELL ME MORE…
UEFA rules calculate each player’s registration cost based on their salary and amortised transfer fee, capped at a five-year contract length. For example, Delap’s £30 million transfer will count as £6 million annually for the next five years for registration purposes. Chelsea’s transfer activity so far suggests they are well above the threshold, making major sales a requirement rather than an option.
