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    Chelsea will be forced to sell best homegrown stars by July after £121m loss with Mount, Chilwell and Gallagher at risk

    CHELSEA face a huge summer clearout after revealing a whopping £121MILLION loss for last season.Pressure is ramping up on chairman Todd Boehly to balance the books quickly or risk Financial Fair Play sanctions.
    Mason Mount and Ben Chilwell face uncertain Chelsea futuresCredit: Getty
    Mateo Kovacic is linked with a move awayCredit: Getty
    Christian Pulisic could be soldCredit: Getty
    Trevoh Chalobah faces competition in Chelsea’s defenceCredit: Getty
    The Blues have made total losses of £274m over the past two campaigns — with next season’s figures to include the astonishing £545m spending spree since the £4.25BILLION takeover of the club in May by Boehly.
    The Blues must now offload some of their best players by June 30 to keep their losses below the permitted £105m limit over three years.
    Most profitable will be homegrown stars like midfielder Mason Mount, Trevoh Chalobah, Conor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi who cost the club nothing in transfer fees.
    Other senior men like Mateo Kovacic, keeper Edouard Mendy, plus wingers Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic will also be up for grabs.
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    Manchester City want left-back Ben Chilwell, who would command a fee in excess of £70m.
    Any sales must be signed off by June 30 — the final day of the 2022-23 season — to be included in next year’s figures.
    Chelsea blamed much of their latest loss on the Ukraine war which led to UK Government sanctions being imposed on former owner Roman Abramovich over his links to Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
    A statement read: “The club was restricted in a number of areas including signing contracts with players and sponsorship partners, which collectively resulted in extraordinary expenses and loss of revenue.”
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    Their total losses for the latest three-year cycle amount to £242m but the Prem gave clubs some leeway because of the impact of Covid.
    Everton are facing a points deduction over FFP after getting hit by Prem charges on Friday.
    And Manchester City also have an incredible 101 charges levelled at them covering a nine-year period.
    Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also a homegrown starCredit: Alamy
    Hakim Ziyech looks on as Chelsea warm up against FulhamCredit: Getty
    Callum Hudson-Odoi is on loan to Bayer LeverkusenCredit: Getty
    Pressure is ramping up on chairman Todd Boehly to balance the books quicklyCredit: Alamy More

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    Top flight club who were once branded ‘Chelsea B’ and featured stars including Mount and Broja faces collapse

    THE Dutch club who become infamous for their influx of Chelsea loanees are reportedly on the brink of collapse. Vitesse Arnhem were once branded “Chelsea B” after dozens of Blues players were sent on loan to Holland, including the likes of first-team stars Mason Mount and Armando Broja.
    Mason Mount has had the best career of the 29 players Chelsea sent on loan to VitesseCredit: Getty
    The 34,000-capacity GelreDome is at the centre of a huge disputeCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    But the club are now reportedly in crisis and facing “collapse” due to a dispute over their stadium.
    Dutch outlet Gelderlander report that the club face having their professional license withdrawn after they cancelled the lease on their ground.
    The GelreDome has been at the centre of a row since 2018 as Vitesse objected to annual rent of £1.6m – they had to pay to landlord Michael van de Kuit.
    The club wanted the fee to be reduced by De Kuit was reportedly not in favour of the move.
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    The stadium lease is officially up at the end of September, giving Vitesse an immediately problem.
    They currently would not meet the license requirements for next season and the report states that the Dutch FA, KNVB, has threatened to withdraw Vitesse’s professional license if there is no clarity on the situation by April 11.
    It would be quite an abrupt chapter in the club’s 131-year history.
    They are managed by former Derby boss Phillip Cocu and have been playing at the GelreDome since 1998.
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    Vitesse are best known in England for effectively playing the role of a feeder club for Chelsea with 29 players spending temporary periods at the side over the past few years.
    Along with Mount and Broja, the likes of Nemanja Matic, Patrick van Aanholt and Dominic Solanke have all had loan spells over in Holland.
    Mount has gone on to have the most prominent Chelsea career of the loan players with the 24-year-old academy product going on to make 192 appearances for Chelsea. More

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    ‘Can I get his job when the contract ends?’ – Fans stunned as Chelsea outcast keeper signs new three-year deal

    CHELSEA fans reacted in shock after goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli extended his contract. The stopper signed for the Blues in 2021, swapping Craven Cottage for Stamford Bridge having moved down the road from Fulham.
    Chelsea fans reacted in shock after goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli extended his contractCredit: Rex
    He has so far been third-choice by providing back up to Kepa Arrizabalaga, 28, and Edouard Mendy, 31.
    But as the future of Chelsea’s preferred two keepers remains in doubt, Bettinelli, 30, has committed himself to the club.
    He has extended his contract until at least the summer of 2026 and cooly posed on a chair as Chelsea announced the surprise news.
    One said: “Can I get his job after the contract ends?”
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    Another said: “He’s already sitting on the bench like he has always done all season long…”
    One added: “This guy only here for vibes and I love it.”
    Another joked: “He’s really living the life.”
    Bettinelli has made only ONE Chelsea appearance, in a 5-1 FA Cup win against Chesterfield in January 2022.
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    But he is relishing “an extra couple of years” on the Blues books.
    Bettinelli said: “It is a privilege to be at a club like Chelsea, one of the biggest clubs in the world, and a couple of years ago when I signed I was delighted to be here, delighted to sign.
    “To be here now and see the club going through this transition and seeing what we are developing, it is amazing to be a part of and I am buzzing to be here for an extra couple of years.”
    Marcus Bettinelli has extended his Chelsea contractCredit: Twitter More

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    Chelsea could share West Ham’s London Stadium for next four years while new ground is built

    WEST HAM’S London Stadium is reportedly one of two new grounds Chelsea have held talks about sharing while Stamford Bridge is redeveloped.American billionaire Todd Boehly and his co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali want the Blues to have one of the greatest stadiums on the planet by 2030.
    Todd Boehly is searching for a temporary home for Chelsea while Stamford Bridge is redevelopedCredit: AP
    West Ham’s London Stadium has now emerged as a shock contenderCredit: Getty
    It has been widely-reported that the Blues currently have three options regarding their home ground.
    One is to start work and build on a completely new site while another is knocking down their current home and rebuilding a new ground from scratch and the other is just to redevelop Stamford Bridge.
    We revealed how demolishing their West London ground and building a brand new one in its place on the existing site is emerging as the most likely option.
    The whole project could cost a mega £2BILLION in total and may see them playing their home games away from Stamford Bridge for FOUR YEARS.
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    It then emerged that Fulham’s Craven Cottage, Wembley Stadium and Twickenham had already been discussed as potential groundshares.
    Now the Daily Mail has claimed that “West Ham’s ground is another potential option being considered” by Chelsea.
    The London Stadium, which has a capacity of 62,500, has already been used to jost other sports such as baseball and rugby and it would enable the Blues to continue playing “home” games at a Premier League stadium.
    However, this update also adds that “the prospect of a ground share may not be especially appealing for West Ham and Chelsea supporters given the rivalry between the two clubs”.
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    But another, albeit much smaller, stadium has also been added to the list of potential temporary host venues.
    Championship side Reading’s Select Car Leasing Stadium, better known as the Madejski Stadium, only has a 24,000 capacity and is located 39 miles away from Chelsea’s current home.
    Another issue is that it is a considerable distance from Stamford Bridge, and many Chelsea supporters wouldn’t be happy at the prospect of the club playing home games outside of London.
    Rugby union games have been held there previously, but playing games outside of the capital could prove to be a step too far for supporters. More

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    Chelsea announce worrying net losses for 2021-22 after ‘extraordinary expenses and loss of revenue’

    CHELSEA have revealed “extraordinary expenses and loss of revenue” as a result of the sanctions imposed on them last year. The UK government placed former Blues owner Roman Abramovich under sanctions in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and his links to the country’s president Vladimir Putin.
    Chelsea have announced ‘extraordinary’ losses following sanctions last yearCredit: Getty
    Roman Abramovich has sanctions placed against him last yearCredit: PA
    And the full impact of the sanctions has now been revealed.
    The club announced net losses of £121.3million for the financial year of 2021-22.
    Chelsea were handed a “special license” to continue operating throughout the sanctions.
    However, they were restricted in a number of aspects, including receiving revenue and negotiating contract renewals for players, staff and sponsors.
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    Despite this, the club say they are still set to comply with Premier League and Uefa financial regulations.
    The massive losses come despite turnover increasing to £481.3m from £434.9m the year prior, which was heavily impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
    An increase in operating costs including matchday and non-matchday expenses has been attributed as among the causes for the losses.
    A one-off payment of £26.6m to former boss Antonio Conte and his staff was also included in the figures.
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    Worryingly for the club, the sanctions will continue to be felt in the coming years, with Chelsea saying: “Some of these limitations are also expected to have an impact on the financials in the following years due to the long-term impact from restrictions on entering into new contractual arrangements.”
    The 21/22 results show the club made £123m from incoming transfer fees – including Tammy Abraham, Marc Guehi, Fikayo Tomori and Kurt Zouma.
    During the same period, Chelsea spent £118m on incoming players.
    The latest figures do NOT include the club’s recent £600m transfer splurge under new owner Todd Boehly. More

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    N’Golo Kante contract talks ‘into final stages’ with star expected to commit future to Chelsea after long lay-off

    N’GOLO KANTE’S contract talks are into the final stages, according to reports.And the midfielder looks set to commit his future to Chelsea.
    N’Golo Kante is set to sign a new two-year contract at ChelseaCredit: Getty
    Kante, 31, is out of contract at the end of this season in just three months’ time.
    Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain are both monitoring his situation in the hope of securing a free transfer, while Liverpool were also linked.
    However, they are all expected to be left disappointed with Fabrizio Romano stating Kante is close to putting pen to paper on an extension at Stamford Bridge.
    SunSport understands that the deal will likely run until 2025 – with Chelsea having the option to trigger an additional 12 months.
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    The Frenchman enjoys life in London so has been keen to stay put having made 262 appearances since joining from Premier League champions Leicester in 2016.
    The negotiations have rumbled on despite Kante not featuring since August due to a hamstring injury that also ruled him out of the World Cup.
    It means he is yet to play under manager Graham Potter, who took over in September.
    Potter said this month: “Managers before me have spoken very highly of N’Golo because he’s a top, top player.
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    “He’s been a huge miss for us. Great for us for him to be back. We have to be mindful.
    “We have to take the steps to get him back up to speed.”
    Kante returned to training earlier in March and was an unused sub against Everton before turning out in a behind-closed-doors 3-0 friendly win against Charlton on Friday.
    Mason Mount – who withdrew from the England squad as he regains fitness – and Thiago Silva cheered on Kante at the Cobham training ground.
    Fellow midfielder Mount even wore a ‘Kante 7’ home Chelsea shirt backwards to show his support.
    The struggling Blues will be back in action a week on Saturday, welcoming Aston Villa to Stamford Bridge, before facing Liverpool and Real Madrid either side of a trip to Wolves. More

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    Chelsea set to sign 18-year-old Norwich star Alex Matos on a free transfer but fans are all saying the same thing

    CHELSEA are set to sign Norwich wonderkid Alex Matos on a free transfer.But fans all said the same thing in response to the possible deal.
    Another young prodigy is set to join the Chelsea academy in Alex MatosCredit: Getty
    EXCL: Chelsea are in advanced talks to sign U-18 talent Alex Matos (2004) from Norwich 🚨🔵 #CFCDeal entering closing stages, it will be done on a free transfer with add-ons.English winger will become part of Jim Fraser project, pushing for signing to build top U21 squad. pic.twitter.com/Dj8WosbGx2— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) March 24, 2023

    As reported by Fabrizio Romano, the Blues are closing in on securing a contract for Matos.
    The versatile 18-year-old winger and midfielder, born in 2004, can join for nothing – although some add-ons are expected.
    At Chelsea, the Englishman will link up with Jim Fraser’s project to build a strong Under-21s team.
    Head of youth development and recruitment Fraser identified Matos as the perfect candidate with bags of potential.
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    But supporters are convinced he will fall into the trap of plenty of other Chelsea youth stars over the years.
    One said: “Why are these kids joining Chelsea, zero pathway, just stocking piling talent. At this point will they even get consistent game time at youth-team level?”
    Another wrote: “Why do kids sign for Chelsea. No chance ever of progressing. Out on loans to Darlington in 6 months. One day kids will learn.”
    And a third added: “Suspect we will never hear from him again. So sad these young lads’ heads are turned.”
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    Matos started out at Luton before switching to Norwich at U12s level.
    He has progressed through the ranks, featuring for the U18s as a schoolboy and signing a scholarship at Carrow Road in 2021.
    This season, he has racked up an impressive three assists in 13 appearances for the Canaries in the Premier League 2.
    At international level, he has appeared for England U15s.
    Matos would link up with Jimmy-Jay Morgan in the Chelsea academy.
    The striker turned down the advances of Manchester City and Arsenal to join Chelsea from Southampton for £6million in February.
    Within weeks of joining the Blues, though, Morgan flew out to Los Angeles to have surgery on a knee problem found during his medical.
    Jimmy-Jay Morgan joined Chelsea from Southampton in FebruaryCredit: Getty More

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    Aubameyang ‘willing to accept a minimum salary’ to end Chelsea nightmare and return to cash-strapped Barcelona

    PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG is reportedly willing to accept a huge wage cut to return to Barcelona.The striker is under contract with Chelsea until 2024 but the Blues are believed to be open to terminating his contract.
    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is happy to accept a massive wage cut to join BarcelonaCredit: Rex
    Aubameyang has played just 18 games since arriving from Barca for £10million last summer.
    A return of three goals has led to the 33-year-old being frozen out, and he could return to the Nou Camp at the end of the season.
    According to Sport, Aubameyang is willing to accept a minimum salary at Barcelona, who are still in financial difficulty.
    The cash-strapped club were fined £700,000 for breaching Financial Fair Play rules after exceeding salary limits for the free signings of Dani Alves and Andreas Christensen, plus Ronald Araujo’s contract extension.
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    That means they may not be able to get anywhere close to the reported £160,000 a week Aubameyang earns at Chelsea.
    But Aubameyang appears to have an affinity to the club and was warmly welcomed back into the dressing room after he watched Barca beat Real Madrid 2-1 in El Classico last week.
    He posed for photos with a delighted Ferran Torres and would likely be a welcome signing after he scored 13 goals in 23 games for the Blaugurana last season.
    Manager Xavi admitted he was sad to see Aubameyang leave after he helped his side qualify for the Champions League.
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    He said: “I feel bad because he helped us a lot. He was an example on and off the pitch.”
    Barcelona reportedly tried to re-sign the Gabon international in January but LaLiga rules prevent a player being registered three different times in one season. More