Financial expert says Chelsea face big problem that could lead to 'severe' points deduction

Chelsea are on course for a hefty points deduction, according to one financial expert. The Blues have spent huge amounts of money under current owner Todd Boehly, but they are now in a position where they need to balance the books to avoid suffering a similar fate to that of Everton and Nottingham Forest, who have both been docked points for breaches of profit and sustainability rules.

The Blues need to generate cash this summer to cover the big-money signings they have made in recent years, and if they don't, the losses that are already on the books point to a big problem that could end in a hefty punishment being issued by the Premier League.

That's according to financial expert Stefan Borson, who told TalkSport: "There was an assumption with Mason Mount, because he was announced on Manchester United's website on July 1 that [his sale] had been put into this current season. So the £55million of profit was in this season. It now transpires that Mason Mount appears to have been transacted in 2022/23 and that is how they got through [FFP rules]."

Asked if the £55million Chelsea thought they had saved this season now carries over, Borson added: "Correct. Because we also know from the BlueCo accounts that they are currently, from the post-balance sheet events, that they are something like £48million in profit for this year. But of course, this year, from an operating perspective, is going to be even worse than last year because they've got no Champions League and no Europe at all."

Asked about how Chelsea can avoid FFP charges, the financial guru added: "Really, they have to find buyers for Trevoh Chalobah for £20m, Armando Broja for £40m, and Conor Gallagher for £50m. It's those sort of deals that need to be done. And by the way, they all need to be done by June 30. That, as we know, is articulated within the Forest decision.

"There's a whole conversation about how hard it is to sell players in the period before June. The Premier League actually suggested that more or less that it was impossible."

TalkSport host and former Crystal Palace chief Simon Jordan then summarised: "What Stefan is basically saying in the shortest of terms is that is absolutely inconceivable that by December of next year that Chelsea won't be facing a charge from the Premier League for breaching Financial Fair Play, unless there's a complete sea change in the rules or a complete re-rowing back from that perspective.

"If you're looking at Chelsea's numbers, unless they're going to sell somewhere in the region of £200m worth of players, so the players you think they're least likely to sell, then Chelsea are going to be in the situation Nottingham Forest and Everton have been in this time next year."

In an even more grim prediction, as far as Chelsea are concerned, Borson went on to predict an even heavier points deduction that the six points received by Everton and the four handed to Forest.

"Yeah. Well, possibly more severe," he said. "I think the scale of the losses they're currently forecasting, to me, appear to be vastly in excess of both Everton and Nottingham Forest."