05 March 2024 , 17:44
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Chelsea would “have no option but to sell” if Arsenal came calling for Mykhaylo Mudryk in the summer transfer window, according to William Gallas.
The Blues signed Mudryk in a deal which could reach £87million back in January 2023 as part of Todd Boehly’s busy first few transfer windows as owner. The Ukraine international arrived in west London with an exciting reputation but has not lived up to his billing, returning just five goals and five assists in 45 matches.
Chelsea have spent over £1bn on transfers under Boehly’s command and have been warned they could face drastic consequences under the Premier League ’s financial fair play rules. Clubs are only allowed to lose £105m over a three-year period – rules which Everton and Nottingham Forest have already fallen foul of.
Arsenal had made Mudryk their number one transfer target for the January 2023 window, only to be gazumped by Chelsea. While he has not lived up to expectations, they could still be interested, with the £65m sale of Kai Havertz last summer perhaps setting a precedent.
Gallas believes Chelsea would be practically powerless in that scenario, given their need to balance the books this summer. “If Arsenal still want Mykhaylo Mudryk and come in with a big fee, Chelsea will have no option but to sell him because of their financial issues,” Gallas told Lord Ping.
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“How Chelsea have got themselves in this situation is confusing. Chelsea will need to think properly on how to sort out their problems, otherwise the fans will continue to be frustrated.”
Chelsea have used an accounting trick called amortisation to spread out the cost of their expensive additions. Mudryk is a good example, having signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal on arrival from Shakhtar Donetsk, meaning his transfer fee was spread out over those years, rather than counting in one go.
Mauricio Pochettino might have to sell some of his players this summer (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Which players should Chelsea look to sell this summer? Comment below.
The Premier League has since voted to close that loophole, capping amortisation at five years regardless of contract length, meaning Chelsea will likely have to make sales this summer. Their continued poor performance – they sit 11th in the Premier League – means Mudryk might be among those on the chopping block.
Former Chelsea player Pat Nevin voiced a similar opinion to Gallas back in December. He said: "Chelsea have cashed in on Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, and others before, and they can do it again. It's just business. It may not be for the fans, but it certainly is for the owners. A lot of teams would be interested in Mudryk!
"I'm not saying Chelsea should get rid of him, but Chelsea will have to sell someone if they want to get a striker as good as [Victor] Osimhen in the door. I didn't like seeing Mason Mount go, and I'm sure the club didn't either, but that sale made financial sense. I'm sure similar calculations will be going on."
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