CHELSEA have been accused of using a “get out of Financial Fair Play jail free card”.
And rivals are reportedly calling for an investigation into the Saudi Arabia transfer spending.
Todd Boehly’s £600million-plus spending in the transfer market in the 2022-23 season left the Blues staring down the barrel of major FFP breaches.
It has led to the club needing to make significant sales before June 30 to help balance the books and trim down the massive squad.
And news of the Saudi Pro League trying to sign as many as SIX deadwood players for a combined £100m has led to a furious reaction from other clubs – especially as news emerged that the Saudi state’s Public Investment Fund had invested billions of pounds into Clearlake Capital, the majority owners of Chelsea.
Wolves are also being targetted by the angry rivals after selling captain Ruben Neves to Saudi side Al-Hilal for £47m.
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According to The Telegraph, teams want a fair market inquiry into the transfer dealings and the mega Saudi spending, especially with Saudi representatives said to be in a posh London hotel this week to thrash out more transfers.
The report adds that the Premier League handbook already has a Fair Value Assessment Protocol that must be followed by clubs to try and ensure fair and accurate prices for player sales.
However, one leading European club told the newspaper “live investigations” by Uefa are needed immediately to help tackle the potential issues and any future deals.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kalidou Koulibaly, Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy are all surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge and it appears the Saudi route could be the best way to get rid of them for inflated fees.
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N’Golo Kante is also expected to move to the Middle East on a deal worth £1.7m per week – although that would be a free transfer with his Chelsea contract expiring.
Romelu Lukaku, though, is reluctant to make the move despite the Blues wanting to sell their £97.5m striker.
Even so, the seeming ability to offload unwanted players for big transfer fees – Al-Hilal look set to pay £25m for Koulibaly – could prove a controversial loophole, understandably leaving other clubs desperate for action.
Karim Benzema has already completed his shock free transfer to Al-Ittihad after 14 years with Real Madrid.
It comes six months after Cristiano Ronaldo stunned the football world by accepting a whopping £173m-a-year contract to join Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo said after the Benzema deal was sealed: “I knew that me going to Saudi Arabia would open a box and I wasn’t wrong.
“I’m sure in a couple of years or three, this league is going to be one of the most important leagues in the world.
“Karim left already and I am 1000 per cent sure that many more players will.”
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
