‘Chelsea and others race to flog deadwood to Saudi Arabia as deadline set’
Chelsea and other Premier League clubs may be running out of time to sell their unwanted players to Saudi Pro League sides.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that Saudi Arabian clubs will continue to buy big-name players for now, but that door may close in the coming years.
Chelsea received a record-breaking fine from UEFA this summer for failing to comply with their financial rules, and only avoided a similar sanction from the Premier League after selling their women’s team to their owners, BlueCo.
Should the Blues fail to continue to comply with the European governing body’s rules, they will be slapped with more fines, and the possibility of a ban from European competition is on the cards.
However, Chelsea have been able to sell several players to the Middle East in recent years, thus alleviating their financial woes.
Joao Felix joined Al-Nassr this summer for a package worth €50million (£43.3m) according to The Athletic, becoming the latest Chelsea player to make the move to the SPL after Angelo, N’Golo Kante, and Kalidou Koulibaly.
Saudi Pro League spending may slow after 2030 World Cup
This article contains exclusive comment from Dan Plumley, a football finance expert and senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.
The Saudi Arabian transfers have been a useful tool for many of Europe’s top clubs, helping them rid themselves of expensive mistakes or avoid punishments for overspending.
But that door may close after the 2030 World Cup, which is due to take place in Saudi Arabia, as the strategy may change after the competition and funding may be reduced, Plumley told Football Insider exclusively.
He said: “The Saudi Pro League needs those kinds of players to keep developing their league.
“I do think they’re looking at 2030 as their vision for their kingdom’s new strategy.
“We’ve still got a few years left of this playing out, and I think it’s likely we see a little bit more of it in the future.”
Nicolas Jackson could push for Chelsea exit
With the threat of further UEFA sanctions a possibility, the Blues may look to offload some of their high-value players this summer.
One of those could be Newcastle target Nicolas Jackson, who could push to leave on a reduced fee, Pete O’Rourke told Football Insider exclusively.
The Senegal international is facing the possibility of being Enzo Maresca’s third-choice striker after the signings of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro.
If Jackson’s game time is threatened, the 24-year-old may look to depart after two seasons in West London.