SEVERAL members of the Chelsea squad now regret signing long-term contracts, according to reports.
The Blues have welcomed 17 new players since Todd Boehly took over last May.
Most of those signings penned a long-term deal – stretching beyond five years – upon their arrival in a bid to mitigate the club’s Financial Fair Play status.
However, according to The Athletic, some players have already started to regret committing themselves to such a lengthy term.
That is mainly due to Chelsea’s already-bloated squad – which includes over 30 first team players – as well as the club’s horrific run of form.
The Blues have lost each of their last five games under Frank Lampard, who was announced as the club’s interim boss following the dismissal of Graham Potter earlier this month.
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And they currently sit ten points above the relegation zone with the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle still to play.
With Chelsea’s future still up in the air, several first team players have already expressed their desire to leave this summer.
And many more could also request to leave, especially if the club cannot secure European football.
Each of the club’s most recent signings, as well as those who recently signed a new deal, reportedly have a clause written into their contract which states that their wages could be slashed by at least 30 per cent if Chelsea do not qualify for the Champions League.
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To make matters worse, this is likely to cause more friction among the first team as some players do not have such a clause included in their respective contracts.
A source told The Athletic: “That situation is hardly going to help harmony within the group. You’ll have some players paying the price financially for the bad results this season, and some who are not.”
Chelsea are on the verge of appointing former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
The 51-year-old verbally agreed to take the job earlier this week.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
