Chelsea given green light to agree shirt-sponsor deal equivalent to Real Madrid, Barcelona
Man City’s settlement with the Premier League has opened the door for Chelsea to finally agree a lucrative front-of-shirt sponsorship deal.
That is according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, who told Football Insider exclusively that an opportunity has been created by the settlement.
Enzo Maresca‘s side played the vast majority of last season, as Chelsea’s £50million asking price proved to be prohibitive in finding a company to adorn the front of their shirts.
Chelsea did agree a short-term deal with DAMAC for the last six games at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, but the Blues then went sponsor-less through their victorious Club World Cup campaign.
However, Man City recently settled with the Premier League on their associated party transactions (APT) dispute, opening the door for the Blues to agree a lucrative new deal.
Premier League to look at Real Madrid, Barcelona sponsorship
Speaking to Football Insider exclusively, Plumley explained that whilst Chelsea could now agree a lucrative new sponsorship deal, the Premier League would still monitor such an agreement, keeping it in line with APT rules.
The finance expert revealed that the league would be looking at Real Madrid and Barcelona‘s deals when weighing up any agreement that the Blues come to.
He said: “If you’re looking at what we can see with the way this has fallen with City, it does provide an opportunity, and we’ve seen Chelsea try and do that in the past.
“It’s likely that they look to pursue that, for sure.
“They’ll be able to perhaps have an opportunity to do a decent deal, but it’s still gonna be, you know, in and around the parameters of what we see those deals go for in the Premier League.
“With Chelsea as an example, the Premier League will still be monitoring that against the big clubs, you know, what are Liverpool getting, what are Arsenal getting?
“Even abroad, what are Real Madrid, Barcelona, what are they generating from those deals?
“And that’s how they’ll start to attach some fair market value principles to it. But I think, yeah, particularly, as I say, with the way it’s gone with City in the last week or so.
“You’re looking at Chelsea as an example of one of those clubs that will be really keen to see what’s happening there and how they can potentially benefit.”
Chelsea facing potential transfer embargo
Having been charged by the FA for breaches relating to agent payments between 2009 and 2022, Chelsea are facing a potential transfer embargo.
The Blues may be set to agree a beneficial front-of-shirt sponsor deal, but that will mean little without the ability to sign new players.
However, Chelsea may benefit from self-reporting the incidents they have been charged for, as Keith Wyness told Football Insider that the punishment could be reduced by “30 to 40 per cent”.