CHELSEA are looking into buying a club in Scotland to get round a new Fifa rule.
Top Blues brains have been considering how to bring through their up-and-coming starlets.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich could buy a Scottish club to navigate around a new Fifa ruleCredit: AFP – Getty
Fifa want to clamp down on big teams stockpiling young talent and sending them out on loan in numbers for years on end.
The new rules will come in next season to restrict this traffic — and will get tougher in the future, which could hit Chelsea hard.
But SunSport can reveal the club have been ahead of the game on this scare.
One of their major ideas to get round the problem is to take out a controlling stake in a club north of the border.
Chelsea could therefore send a whole team of teenagers — coached by their own staff — and play them at a senior level, either in the Scottish Premiership or Championship.
Rather than ‘loan’ the players, they could let them join their partner club permanently, with a sell-on agreement or a first option on them if they become top class.
The Scottish club would also have local players who would develop in better company.
The Blues notably had a connection with Vitesse Arnhem – Mason Mount was one of a number of players loanedCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Chelsea have already looked deeply into one particular club — but are yet to commit until they check any snags that may arise.
There are rules against owners taking stakes in clubs in more than one country — but if it becomes a hurdle, Blues owner Roman Abramovich has plenty of allies who would take on a Scottish club for him and set up the working alliance.
Chelsea have had agreements with foreign clubs – such as Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, who have loaned a number of players including Mason Mount – in the past but this would be a more revolutionary step.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich owns some of the very best real estate in the world
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
