However, with the combined cost of these deals exceeding £100 million, the club must now prioritize player sales to balance their books. ..Continue Reading
The Blues received a major breakthrough when their fourth offer for Bynoe-Gittens was accepted by Dortmund, paving the way for the 20-year-old to undergo a medical ahead of his £55 million move.
Meanwhile, João Pedro is also heading to Stamford Bridge after Chelsea agreed to pay Brighton an initial £50 million, with the total potentially rising to £60 million depending on performance-related add-ons.
These signings push Chelsea’s summer spending to around £140 million, and the club is now under scrutiny from UEFA for allegedly breaching Financial Fair Play regulations.
Both Chelsea and Aston Villa are reportedly facing sanctions, as UEFA rules require clubs to keep spending on wages and transfers within 80% of their revenue and limit losses to £77 million over three years—stricter than the Premier League’s £105 million threshold.
Chelsea are expected to be fined this week as they negotiate a settlement with UEFA, and the club may need to generate significant income through player sales to comply with financial regulations.
Adding to the pressure, UEFA has rejected Chelsea’s attempt to count the £200 million sale of their women’s team to BlueCo 22 Midco Ltd as revenue for the 2024/25 season, even though the Premier League accepted it.
Beyond financial concerns, the influx of attacking signings has left Maresca with an overloaded frontline, making it necessary to offload players to restore balance in the squad.
Among those likely to depart is Christopher Nkunku, who earns £195,000 per week and is reportedly pushing for a move away from Stamford Bridge.
Despite scoring 14 goals last season, the French forward struggled to secure a regular starting spot under Maresca and has been linked with a transfer since January.
Nkunku is said to be eager for a fresh start, and Premier League rivals such as Arsenal and Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign him, while Manchester United are also in discussions.
Although he hasn’t consistently featured in the starting XI, Nkunku remains highly regarded by his teammates and is still seen as a player with significant quality and potential.
“Yeah, he’s a top player, we all know his quality, how he is as a player,” said João Félix last season.
“We already saw him doing amazing things at Leipzig. And yeah, I like to play with him. I think we think the game kind of like the same way. So I think he already know what I’m going to do, and I know what he’s going to do. I think it’s pretty easy to play with him. I think we connect very well.”
