Ciaran Morrison

Thu 9 April 2026 7:30, UK

Follow us on Google Discover

Chelsea’s sporting directors are not doing their jobs properly after it was revealed the club paid the most amount of money to agents in the past year.

That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking to Football Insider, criticising Chelsea’s recruitment in the transfer market.

According to figures released by the FA, Chelsea paid agents a total of £65.1million between February 2025 and February 2026.

It was the third consecutive season that the Blues had spent the most money on agents across all 20 Premier League clubs.

It comes after Chelsea recorded a £262m pre-tax loss in their latest financial accounts, meaning player trading will be vital for the club this summer.

Chelsea’s ‘big’ agent bill slammed by former chief executive

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes Chelsea need to stop relying on agents.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness stated that he would be having a “really serious chat” with the club’s sporting director.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I would be going right to my sporting directors, and there are a number apparently in Chelsea, and I’d be saying, ‘why is that bill so high?’.

“Why are you relying on agents? When they give you this advice, they are then demanding certain fees. You’ve got to be better at scouting players that aren’t under the control of agents.

“It’s a waste of money, it really is. I know agents; I’ve done about 250 transfers over the years. I’ve dealt with all the big ones. I know the good ones, the bad ones, the tricks. And Chelsea have walked into this. 

“With their policy, supposedly on youth, there shouldn’t be such a big agency fee. To me, it’s the sporting directors not performing their function properly. I really would be calling it out, I’d be having a really serious chat with my sporting director. And heads would roll if I was there right now.”

Chelsea set for more managerial change

Sources have told Football Insider that Chelsea are expected to sack Liam Rosenior as manager at the end of the season.

Rosenior became the sixth Chelsea boss appointed under the ownership of BlueCo in January, and sacking the 41-year-old could be more financially damaging for the club.

There have been problems behind closed doors for Rosenior to deal with, with the manager suspending Enzo Fernandez for two games for speaking out on the possibility of a summer departure.

The club also face the prospect of missing out on Champions League qualification this season, with the ownership having ambitions to challenge for the Premier League title.