Chelsea's recent trend of signing players on long-term contracts has prompted UEFA to change Financial Fair Play rules.
The Blues has spent in excess of £420million on new players since a summer takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, including a record-breaking outlay in the summer and the £88.5m arrival of Mykhailo Mudryk from Shakhtar Donetsk.
Mudryk has signed a remarkable, and record-breaking, eight-and-a-half-year deal, meaning the winger will cost Chelsea just over £10m a season as they 'amortise' the fee over the length of his contract.
UEFA, European football’s governing body, is now expected to set a five-year limit over which a transfer fee can be spread.
Chelsea will still be able to offer longer-term contract, due to UK regulations, but fees will have to be paid within the first five years.
Fellow January arrivals Benoit Badiashile and David Datro Fofana both signed six-and-a-half-year deals earlier this month and Noni Madueke joined on a seven-and-a-half-year contract. In the summer, Wesley Fofana signed a seven-year deal and Marc Cucurella joined on a six-year contract.
It is understood that the new owners believe they have found ways to ‘game’ the system, spending in ways previously unseen by taking lessons learned from US sports.
Even after the supposed accounting trick, Chelsea could still fall foul of UEFA’s current FFP rules before they are changed. The Blues currently sit on a watchlist for their spending and risk losing huge revenues as they struggle to qualify for the Champions League.
