Chelsea news: Wyness suggests real reason for shirt sponsor ’embarrassment’
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has suggested the “embarrassing” reason Chelsea do not have a shirt sponsor in place for the 2024-25 campaign.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – claimed Blues chiefs may have overestimated the club’s success when drawing up forecasts, placing an unrealistic valuation on the deal.
Chelsea’s reported £40million deal with Infinite Athlete ends this summer but no news has been announced on a successor to the sports technology company.
The Blues started this season without a front-of-kit partner after the expiry of an agreement with telecoms outfit Three.
Chelsea may have overestimated success in shirt sponsor search, says Wyness
Despite their massive transfer investment, Mauricio Pochettino’s side sit seventh in the Premier League and cannot return to the Champions League next season.
Wyness told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “They will have had to do a forecast for revenues ahead of time.
“The club would have probably thought they would be doing better than they are at the moment and would have put a pretty big number on the forecast for shirt sponsorship.
“It would be embarrassing to go back with a smaller number, so they’re sticking with the big target.
“This is where something like European qualification, although not great financially in the bigger picture, will help get sponsors on the board.
“It won’t be the huge sponsors they’d like to have, but it may help slightly.
“But I just think they’ve made a forecast at a big level, and need to show the investors they can achieve that.
“That’s why I think this process is taking so long.
“Spurs have been notorious at holding out for a naming rights partner for the stadium.
“If Chelsea believe the value is there, they have to do the same.”
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