(Credit: Getty Images/Imago)

Premier League clubs hit by 'huge' sponsor blow after Chelsea latest

James holds a degree in Sports Journalism and Communications (MA) from the Real Madrid Graduate School. He has experience working for a number of local news outlets as well as the Sunday Mirror and Real Madrid TV. James is from Scunthorpe and has an affinity with Scunthorpe United, but is also a huge West Ham supporter and an expert on all things to do with the Hammers. He started working for Breaking Media in July 2023, initially writing on the Club Sites, where he specialised in West Ham content, before moving to Football Insider – where he is now an expert in football finance, speaking regularly with Stefan Borson and Keith Wyness to generate high-quality content in all things related to finance in the Premier League, Football League, and Scottish Premiership.

Published on:

31 Jul 2025, 11:43 am

Premier League clubs are facing “huge” sponsorship issues as Chelsea remain without a front-of-shirt deal for next season, sources have told Football Insider.

The London giants played the majority of the 2024-25 season without a primary shirt sponsor.

Chelsea wanted to agree a £50million shirt deal last summer before being forced to lower their asking price as the season went on.

The Blues announced a deal in April for DAMAC to appear on the front of their shirts for the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign.

The club’s new shirts, which were launched last month, didn’t feature a shirt sponsor at the Club World Cup as they continue to try and agree a deal.

Chelsea were expected to agree a big-money deal after securing Champions League football for next season, but it so far hasn’t proven to be the case.

Sources say the Blues’ shirt sponsor struggles are a sign of the “huge” issues Premier League clubs are currently facing in their efforts to agree significant commercial deals.

Cole Palmer wearing a Chelsea away strip.

Chelsea agreed a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal with DAMAC in April (Credit: Imago)

Chelsea have £40m hole in their accounts

The Telegraph reported on 15 July Stamford Bridge chiefs are in talks with seven to 10 global companies over a long-term front-of-shirt sponsorship worth £60million a year.

Finance expert Stefan Borson told Football Insider Chelsea have a £40million hole in their accounts after failing to agree a shirt deal for the majority of last season.

He insisted the Premier League side have made a “questionable” decision after deciding to hold off on signing a new sponsor deal.

Chelsea have faced front-of-shirt sponsorship issues for the best part of the past two campaigns.

They struck a £40million-a-year deal with Infinite Athlete in September 2023, but the agreement expired last summer.

The Blues’ turnover fell from £512million in 2022-23 to £468million in 2023-24 despite their commercial revenue increasing from £210million to £225million across the same period.

Elsewhere, Manchester United remain without a training kit sponsor after their £20million deal with Tezos expired at the end of last season.

Enzo Maresca has led Chelsea back into the Champions League (Credit: Imago)

Chelsea offer two stars in sensational Morgan Rogers swap deal

In terms of transfer activity at Stamford Bridge, Football Insider revealed on 28 July Chelsea have made an offer for Morgan Rogers that includes two stars in a cash-plus-players exchange bid.

The Blues are now ramping up their bid to sign the Aston Villa playmaker, who is their top target for the remainder of the summer transfer window.

Villa are resisting interest in Rogers from Chelsea as well as several other Premier League rivals and have made it clear the 23-year-old is not for sale.

However, Enzo Maresca’s side are believed to have offered Nicolas Jackson and Tosin Adarabioyo as well as a cash sum to Villa in part-exchange for the England international.

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