Chelsea 'delight' Premier League and the Government with newly-agreed deal
Chelsea could potentially operate at a “marginal” loss when they open Stamford Bridge to host Shakhtar Donetsk’s Champions League home fixtures.
That is according to former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that their exact financial earnings will depend on the attendances for the games.
The Ukrainian side have been displaced by their country’s ongoing war with Russia, and they have agreed a deal to play their four league phase home games in West London.
Wyness believes that the “optics” of the agreement are very strong for Chelsea, and feels they will gain more benefit from that than any financials behind the deal.
Shakhtar are set to line up against AEK Athens, Sporting, Fenerbahce and Real Madrid on the Blues’ home turf, plus the potential of any fixtures in the knockout stages.
Wyness also stressed that tickets for the games are likely to be competitively priced in an attempt to attract local neutrals through the gates.
Economics ‘irrelevant’ in Chelsea deal
Everton’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the financial details behind Chelsea’s agreement are essentially “irrelevant.”
The Scottish businessman suggested that any profits or losses from the deal will be so marginal for the Premier League outfit that it won’t affect their finances at all.
Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness explained how the benefits for Chelsea lie elsewhere on this occasion.
“Well, there is a slight chance (of a loss), but it's going to be marginal. We're talking, you know, not really anything substantial,” he said.
“I think there's enough football fans in London who would go and see that sort of thing. I think they'll probably be priced appropriately as well. So I understand it.
“Where it's more important for Chelsea is just in the optics. I think that this will be received favourably by the government, by the Premier League, UEFA, et cetera. They are being a helping hand for another club that's in a difficult situation in Ukraine.
“I think it's something that politically makes sense. I think the economics of it really don't matter. It's going to be very marginal, and I wouldn't be surprised if there are actually decent crowds for some of these games depending on who the opposition is.
“Why not go and see a live European game if you were available in London? And it won't be at Chelsea prices, that's for sure.”
New Chelsea sponsorship ‘worries’ Keith Wyness
Wyness previously told Football Insider earlier this week that he is "worried" that Chelsea’s agreement with their new front-of-shirt sponsor Circle is only a one-year deal.
The Blues have finally been able to agree a new partnership for their 2026-27 shirts, something that Wyness believes to be a largely positive thing.
However, he made it clear that a one-year deal will see both parties lose a certain amount of value from the deal, as it will give them almost no time to form a mutually beneficial relationship with each other.
He believes that a greater understanding of each other’s goals and needs can elevate a partnership to the next level, but also pointed out that it can only be achieved through longevity.