'End of an era' for Chelsea as Todd Boehly to completely change how he runs the Blues, 'big story'

Chelsea have been fined by UEFA for breaching spending rules ahead of their return to the Champions League next season. The club, which has been navigating Premier League financial regulations since the Todd Boehly-led takeover, previously sold its women's team to itself to address potential domestic issues – a move other clubs like Aston Villa are now considering, though UEFA does not recognise such profits.

As part of their settlement with UEFA, Chelsea reportedly need to raise £60m from player sales this summer. Finance expert Adam Williams suggests this specific target is manageable within Chelsea's existing model of operating a large "portfolio" of players for trading. However, he highlights a more significant challenge: meeting UEFA's strict profit-and-loss targets for the 2025-26, 2026-27, and potentially subsequent seasons.

Williams explains that Chelsea cannot use the same accounting methods employed for the Premier League, such as selling the women's team, hotels, or using player swap deals to inflate profits, as UEFA does not recognise these. Crucially, with Chelsea currently operating at a loss exceeding £200m per year, Williams states meeting UEFA's targets will require a fundamental change in how the club is run, involving a massive increase in revenue and significant cost-cutting.

While the Club World Cup provided a revenue boost, Chelsea still need to find other income streams, such as securing a new front-of-shirt sponsor following the end of DAMAC's short-term deal. Building a new stadium is not seen as a viable short-term solution due to the time required.