Chelsea in advanced talks to agree deal despite imminent Premier League ban - sources

Chelsea are closing in on a front-of-shirt sponsorship agreement with gambling company Stake, sources have told Football Insider.

The Blues are currently without a sponsor for next season with their agreement with British telecommunications company Three expiring this summer.

It is understood that a one-year deal with Stake is currently being finalised.

Three paid £40million annually to appear on the front of Chelsea’s shirt, and the Londoners were hoping for a similar value in their next deal.

However, the club’s underwhelming 2022/23 campaign and failure to qualify for Champions League football has made negotiations difficult.

Football Insider reported on 31 May that Chelsea were in advanced talks with Allianz over a front-of-shirt deal.

However, talks between Chelsea and Allianz have halted, with the German finance company only willing to offer around £20-25million per season.

Instead, Chelsea have turned their attention to Stake, who currently sponsor Everton and have previously sponsored Watford.

The value of Stake’s proposal was much closer to Chelsea’s £40million target and significantly higher than Allianz’s bid.

However, the Stake deal can only be a short-term solution for the Londoners, with a front-of-shirt gambling ban set to be introduced to the top flight.

The Premier League confirmed in April that having gambling sponsorships on the front of football shirts would be prohibited after the 2025/26 season, giving clubs time to find other partners.

Chelsea are also on the lookout for a new sleeve sponsor after Whalefin terminated their agreement just seven months after signing.

The crypto firm paid £20million per season for the sponsorship deal - a fee Chelsea are unlikely to match in their next agreement.

In other news, Chelsea in advanced talks to sign Moises Caicedo