Chelsea Football Club is reportedly looking to ease their financial pressures by selling their Cobham training ground. This move comes amidst concerns about the club's spending and the need to comply with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
Since the arrival of Todd Boehly at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea has built a squad worth over £1 billion, signing top talents from all corners of the globe. Despite this investment, the team is currently struggling to justify its valuation.
Chelsea Manager Mauricio Pochettino has called for further investment as he aims to guide his side back to their glory days. However, with FFP and Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) looming large, Chelsea may need to sell players or assets in order to fund these plans.
Gallagher and Chalobah on edge for summer
Reports suggest that Conor Gallagher and Trevoh Chalobah could be among those sold off in an effort raise funds. However, according to Stefan Borson - a lawyer and former Manchester City financial advisor - Chelsea may not actually need such drastic measures.
Borson claims that Chelsea have already taken steps towards easing their financial concerns by registering a deal which will see them sell Cobham training ground – an 'intra-group accounting profit'. This sale was registered in February 2023 and could potentially outweigh operating costs allowing further free-spending in upcoming transfer windows.
The finances raised from this sale are estimated at around £100-150m which can be included in the 2023/24 season accounting due Premier League PSR rules allowing profits made on assets like stadiums if sold at fair market value.
Chelsea looking to avoid PSR drama
In addition, Chelsea have also attempted another similar strategy by selling hotels on Stamford Bridge site back themselves as an injection of funds into their books. However, these dealings have not yet been approved by the Premier League.
Chelsea's unique approach to managing their financial pressures demonstrates a creative way of navigating the complex world of football finance. Whether this strategy will be successful in the long run remains to be seen, but it certainly adds another layer of intrigue to the business side of football.
