Chelsea set for HUGE summer clear-out to meet FFP rules

Cameron Smith

• 27 Mar 2023 21:45 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea could be forced to sell several prized assets this summer in order to avoid breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.

The Blues have spent over €600 million since Todd Boehly took over as the owner of the club in 2022, while they broke the British transfer record to sign Enzo Fernandez from Benfica during the January window. The Argentine star cost Chelsea €121m.

Despite their lucrative spending, Chelsea are slumped down in 10th place in the Premier League after a disastrous season that has seen them slip away from top four contention. Their only hope of Champions League qualification for next campaign seemingly comes in the form of winning the competition this time around. They will face holders Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, in a repeat of their clash at the same stage last year.

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Chelsea posted losses of €138m last season, which followed a loss of €175m during the 2021/22 campaign.

The club have deployed an American sports concept of long contracts since Boehly took charge, with that decision proving instrumental in their ability to bypass FFP rules and continue to spend big.

However, football finance writer Kieran Maguire believes Chelsea could be forced to sell several first-team stars in order to raise funds.

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"The one thing Chelsea have in their favour is that they have a very large squad so they are in a position to raise money by selling players in the summer,” Maguire said to The Times. “We have already seen speculation about Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher being sold.”

Maguire also thinks that Chelsea will be very careful with their finances next year as the Premier League's financial rules allow maximum losses of €120m across a three-year period.

Which players could Chelsea sell?

Mason Mount has been heavily linked with an exit following a dispute over a possible contract extension for the Cobham academy graduate. The Englishman hasn't featured since the end of February and pulled out of Gareth Southgate's England squad for the March internationals through injury. Liverpool are seriously interested in signing him, while both Manchester United and Manchester City are understood to be keen.

Conor Gallagher is another Chelsea star who could be pushed to the exit door, with several clubs expressing their desire to sign him last summer. He has become a favourite under Graham Potter in recent weeks, but the Blues' financial situation may lead to a departure.

Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech may also depart, while loanees such as Callum Hudson-Odoi, Romelu Lukaku and Malang Sarr may be deemed surplus to requirements.

It is important to note that if Chelsea do not qualify for any form of European football next season, then they won't be under UEFA's jurisdiction for FFP in 2023/24.