Why Chelsea’s New Signings Could Be Banned From Playing in Champions League

Why Chelsea’s New Signings Could Be Banned From Playing in Champions League

  • Chelsea face a race against time to register their new signings for this season's UEFA Champions League
  • The world champions have signed multiple players including forwards Liam Delap and Joao Pedro
  • UEFA recently hit the Premier League side with financial and sporting sanctions for rule breaches

Chelsea face a race against time to make sales or risk UEFA ban for the registration of their new signings for the Champions League this season.

The Blues returned to the Champions League after finishing fourth in the Premier League last season following a two-year absence from the competition.

Dario Essugo, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Estevao Willian, Chelsea, Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea new signings during their unveiling at Stamford Bridge. Photo by Darren Walsh.
Source: Getty Images

They have made multiple signings to improve their squad including Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato amongst others.

The club is still active in the market and are in pursuit of top attacking talents, including Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig and Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United.

Why Chelsea’s new signings could be banned

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Chelsea new signings could be banned from playing Champions League football this season, unless the Blues move quickly with sales.

The world champions will be unable to register their new signings for the competition after UEFA hit them with financial and sporting sanctions.

According to BBC Sports, Chelsea breached UEFA's financial sustainability regulation and the club's squad cost ratio in 2024 financial year.

The financial sanction is a £26.7 million fine and a suspended £51.2 million fine if they breach the rule again within the next four financial years.

The sporting sanction means Chelsea cannot register new players to their UEFA Champions League A squad, unless they make profit more than the cost of those new signings.

According to Daily Mail, it was initially thought that the sale of every player counts, but UEFA have now clarified the players who fall under profit margin.

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The players which were registered in the club's UEFA Europa Conference League squad knockout stages last season are eligible for their sale to go into the accounting books.

Hence, the sale of Renato Veiga, João Felix, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja and Djordje Petrovic all do not count for the purpose of the agreement with UEFA.

Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Chelsea, MetLife Stadium, USA.
Chelsea strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap celebrate after winning the FIFA Club World Cup. Photo by Ricardo Nogueira.
Source: Getty Images

Noni Madueke who was sold to Arsenal for an initial £48 million so far is the only player whose £6.5 million profit is the only sale that has counted so far.

Chelsea are still hoping to sell some of the players who helped them win the Conference League last season, including Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and possibly Trevoh Chalobah to help their cause.

It is unclear whether the club will succeed before the transfer window closes on September 1 or whether they will sacrifice some of their new signings for the UCL group stage.

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Chelsea delete 9 players from their website

Legit.ng reported that Chelsea deleted nine player profiles from their website as their departure from the club this season is guaranteed.

Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and Ben Chilwell lead the list of excluded players, with all expected to leave the club permanently this summer.

Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Elijah Odetokun avatar

Elijah Odetokun (Sports Editor) Elijah Odetokun is a Nigerian sports editor at Legit.ng. He has four years of working experience and holds a Bachelor of Agriculture from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, and a Diploma in Freelance and Sports Writing from the London School of Journalism. Email: elijah.odetokun@sportsbrief.com