Chelsea have broken the Premier League record for fees paid to agents as their money challenges were laid bare.
The Blues’ finances are again under the microscope after accounts and figures were made public showing their incredible outlay on agents fees and player wages, as well as their outstanding debts.
While Mauricio Pochettino’s side are currently languishing in mid-table in the Premier League again, figures released by the Football Association put Chelsea at the top of the agent’s fees table.
The Blues are shown to have paid a record £75.1million to intermediaries in the 12 month period between February 2023 and February 2024.
All together, Premier League clubs broke the £400m barrier on money paid to agents through transfers, with Chelsea’s recent frivolous spending under Todd Boehly taking them above Man City, who had the highest figure from previous accounts.
City’s spending has risen from their last figure of £51.6m to £60.6m, with Liverpool and Manchester United the only other clubs to have given over £30m to agents over the past year – but they’ve been outdone by Chelsea whose previous outlay was £43.2m.
The west London club have spent more than £1billion on players since the takeover led by American billionaire Boehly – who will step down as chairman in 2027 – in May 2022.
And their incredible transfer spree has also seen the club’s wage costs soar past the £400m mark.
Their £404m salary bill sees Chelsea overtake Liverpool and Man United, with only City above them – however, their wage bill of £422.9m including player and staff bonuses for their treble-winning season last term.
Latest accounts also show Chelsea made a loss of £89.8m last season, but that they were only able to post that figure after owners effectively sold club-owned hotel buildings to themselves through sister company Blueco 22 Properties Ltd, which went down in the books as £76.5m of income.
It means the club still has a lot of work to do to comply with Profitabaility and Sustainability Rules (PSR) next season.
Chelsea may have to resort to raising significant cash through player sales before June to make that happen, but Boehly appears confident it can be done.
In the accounts, Boehly stated: “The club continues to balance success on the field together with the financial imperatives of complying with UEFA and Premier League financial regulations.
“The club has complied with these since their inception in 2012 and expects to do so in the foreseeable future.”
Premier League agent’s fees: Feb 2023-Feb 2024
- Chelsea – £75,140,524
- Man City – £60,626,025
- Man United – £34,054,001
- Liverpool – £31,500,211
- Arsenal – £24,760,875
- Aston Villa – £21,160,122
- Tottenham – £19,731,099
- Newcastle – £18,881,923
- Bournemouth – £15,999,925
- West Ham – £13,880,365
- Wolves – £13,392,541
- Nottingam Forest – £13,063,455
- Fulham – £12,062,906
- Brighton – £11,393,102
- Crystal Palace – £11,082,430
- Everton – £10,623,224
- Brentford – £8,147,957
- Burnley – £6,944,589
- Sheffield United – £5,127,509
- Luton – £2,020,146
News Summary:
- Chelsea break unwanted Premier League record as alarming financial figures revealed
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