11 March 2024 , 18:21
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Missing out on European qualification could have serious consequences for Chelsea, with a lucrative deal with Nike's Jordan Brand as a kit manufacturer at risk.
Chelsea are currently 11th in the Premier League and 17 points off fourth. They are also 11 points off sixth-place Manchester United but European spots could go as low as seventh due to the two-season-old Europa Conference League.
The Blues haven't been as successful under new American owner Todd Boehly either, with the West London club trophy-less despite spending close to £1 billion on player transfers.
And the underperformance will see Chelsea take a hit financially, according to Sportico. With Chelsea likely to miss out on European competition, in particular the Champions League, talks with Saudi's Riyadh Air have stalled. As have their talks with Nike's Jordan brand over kit manufacturing for similar reasons. The club could miss out on a whopping £60 million annually.
The club are, however, reportedly still in talks with Bank of America and Malaysia Airlines. Bank of America is a long-time corporate partner of MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, who are owned by Chelsea's co-owner Boehly.
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Chelsea also had troubles with a shirt sponsor. They had hoped to seal a deal with streaming service Paramount+ only for the Premier League to block the move due to concerns over problems it could cause with NBC, who are the official Premier League rights holder in the USA. Chelsea also had discussions with Stake but such a deal with a betting company is set to be banned from 2026. The club now has 12 games to rescue their season and secure some form of European football.
Chelsea had hopes of striking a deal with Nike's Jordan brand to be kit manufacturer (Getty)Chelsea have won 10 and lost 10 of their 26 games so far and face Newcastle on Monday night. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has found himself in the firing line from fans in recent weeks, as has Boehly. However, the Argentine has vowed to not quit on the Blues.
"The fans are not going to love any more another coach at Chelsea. I knew it was going to be tough [and] we need time and belief," he said. "If you compare with the past, when you are in a different project, people need to understand. I've tried to explain. I talk, I move my mouth, but you don't hear. We understand the frustration and the reception.
"We need to try to improve the way we play and try to change this feeling. We need our fans and we hope that on Monday the fans will be great and behind us for 90 minutes to win the game."