‘I would have taken the money’ – Stefan Borson taken aback after Chelsea sponsor latest
Chelsea are yet to agree a new front-of-shirt sponsorship deal after starting another season without a partnership in place.
Chelsea have faced sponsorship issues over the past couple of years after failing to land a permanent deal for their front of shirt.
Chelsea are looking to agree a £60m deal after holding talks with various interested parties.
Former Man City financial adviser Stefan Borson exclusively told Football Insider he would have “taken the money” on offer as there is no logic in missing out on revenue.
Chelsea’s last major front-of-shirt deal came in the 2023-24 campaign when Infinite Athlete agreed to pay £40m for a single season.
Chelsea could agree £30m sponsor deal
Chelsea have been hit by a new sponsorship blow following the departure of chief revenue officer Casper Stylsvig.
SportBusiness reported on 17 September Stylsvig has now left Stamford Bridge after spending less than two years in the role since arriving from AC Milan in November 2023.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Stylsvig’s exit, Borson said: “I don’t think they’re connected necessarily.
“I think it comes down to supply and demand. The market is telling Chelsea that at £60m there’s no demand.
“I suspect there’s demand at £30m, and they’ve got a decision to make.
“I don’t understand the logic in not having a shirt sponsor for multiple years if money is on the table from a good sponsor because once the season’s gone, the opportunity is gone and you’ve lost the revenue.
“But I’m a more cautious kind of operator than Chelsea’s owners.
“I would have taken the money.”
Chelsea announced a short-term deal in April for DAMAC to appear on the front of their shirts for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign, but it was never the intention for the partnership to be extended into this season.
Chelsea plan to agree £15m sponsor deal
Meanwhile, Football Insider revealed on 19 September Chelsea are looking to agree a £15m-a-year deal after also starting the new season without a sleeve sponsor.
Enzo Maresca’s side are understood to have been in talks with the Haier Group – a Chinese manufacturing company – but it appears the negotiations have now stalled between the two parties.
The Blues’ latest published accounts for 2023-24 revealed their revenue fell from £512m in 2022-23 to £468m due to their lack of European football in that season.
However, their commercial revenue increased from £210m to £225m across the same period.
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