Chelsea’s winter spending has exceeded £400M. A time where traditionally clubs would make limited signings.
The London side are still linked with a number of moves. Moisés Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez are still on Chelsea’s radar according to The Guardian.
Martin Ziegler, writing for The Times, has reported that UEFA are set to close a loophole in the FFP rule that allowed Chelsea to sign players on lengthy contracts.
Ziegler has reported that UEFA will set a five-year limit on the duration that a player’s transfer fee can be spread.
Mykhailo Mudryk signed for Chelsea on an 8 1/2-year deal. The longest in Premier League history as pointed out by Ziegler.
Martin Ziegler reports:
“Officials at European football’s governing body are planning to set a five-year maximum for the length of time over which a player’s transfer fee can be spread, with the new policy brought in before the summer transfer window. It is understood the move comes after a number of clubs raised concerns with Uefa over Chelsea’s policy.
The Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk signed the longest contract in the 30-year history of the Premier League when he joined Chelsea on an 8½-year deal. Under a process called amortisation — the process of writing off the initial cost of a player — the £80 million fee would be recorded as £9.41 million per year for Uefa’s FFP calculations while if Mudryk had signed a four-year deal the £80 million fee would be calculated as £20 million per year.
Fifa’s regulations state that players’ contracts should be a maximum of five years unless they are allowed to be longer under the laws of a particular country, and there is no restriction in the UK.
The Times reported that they were told: “If other clubs start doing the same with eight-year contracts it will be a mess so we need to protect them.”