Chelsea plan £100m emergency sale of two star players
Chelsea are reportedly preparing a double-sale in the summer in a bid to lessen the strain of Financial Fair Play. It has been claimed that England duo Reece James and Conor Gallagher are among the players who could be used as makeweights to soften the Profit and Sustainability concerns.
The Blues have splashed over £1billion since the consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital with the acquisition of Nicolas Jackson, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer. As well as the free-spending on players, there has been money paid for coaches and backroom staff since the takeover which has landed them in danger of breaching the PSR rules – joining Nottingham Forest and Everton who have been sanctioned by the Premier League, this season.
The Times has reported that both James and Gallagher could be sold in order to ease the club back towards safety from a possible punishment. It has been claimed that Chelsea would need to offload their academy graduate by June 30, for the profit – from their homegrown talents – to be interpreted for the 2023-24 accounts.
James has been restricted to just eight appearances in the Premier League after enduring injury problems for the Stamford Bridge side. The England full-back was forced to undergo surgery to mend a recurring hamstring issue that plagued his involvement last season and for much of this campaign.
In the report, the 24-year-old could move on for a fee in the region of £60million – a figure said to be targeted by the clubs hierarchy. James still has four years remaining on his contract after signing a bumper extension in September 2022. Gallagher, meanwhile, has had to fight for his place in the Chelsea midfield and has made himself a bonafide contender for a place in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting line-up.
But the former Crystal Palace and West Brom loanee has often been the subject of speculation regarding his future. The midfielder has one year remaining on his current deal SW6 and could enter negotiations for a transfer on a pre-contract agreement from January 2025, should his future not be resolved.
As a result, cashing in on the 12-time England international could be an option. West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have all been linked with Gallagher’s services in recent transfer windows.
