Pundit makes ‘incredible’ Chelsea claim after UEFA law change
Frank McAvennie has insisted Chelsea were “very clever” with how they got round Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the former West Ham striker said bringing in contract caps now is like “shutting a gate after the horses have bolted”.
According to The Times (24 January), the loophole in the FFP rules that the Blues used to sign Mykhailo Mudryk on an eight-and-a-half year contract to spread the impact of spending is set to be closed by Uefa.
The officials are set to put a five-year maximum on the length of time over which a player’s transfer fee can be spread.
The new policy will be brought in before the summer transfer window and is believed to have come about after a number of clubs raised concerns over Chelsea’s transfer behaviour.
It will not affect any of the players Graham Potter’s side have signed in this window but from the summer onwards new signings will be subject to the five-year maximum.
But McAvennie suggested that even five years is too long.
“They [Chelsea] have done well to get round it,” he told Football Insider.
“It was very clever but after the first one does it it is going to get stopped.
“When I was playing four years was the longest contract we ever signed. Five years is too much I think.
“There are people sitting at clubs who do not want to pay, they are just taking the money. It is incredible that people do that.
“I understand what they are doing but it is like shutting a gate after the horses have bolted.“
In other news, an expert has issued ‘huge’ update on Chelsea stars Reece James and Ben Chilwell.