Chelsea could face points deduction as football finance expert predicts record FFP rule breach

Chelsea could face a points deduction and a transfer ban next summer as a football finance expert predicts a record Financial Fair Play (FFP) rule breach.

That's according to @SwedishRumble, who forecasts huge sanctions against the Premier League side, having predicted a record FFP rule breach.

Chelsea could be hit next year, with the club facing a potential points deduction and a transfer ban next summer.

On X, the finance expert wrote: "The @SwissRamble have confirmed our - scoop - from two weeks ago with a fresh forecast also showing that CFC is heading towards a record breach of the FFP provisions next summer!

"A forecast is a forecast and the direct insight into a club like Chelsea is very limited, but the assumption must be that this is part of Chelsea’s strategy and that they for example is bracing themselves for a transfer ban next summer. They will still be allowed to do business in January, however.

"Former PL boss Richard Scudamore was very clear that the PL would request Points Deductions if any team breach the 105m limit when the rules was implemented in 2013. Even if further sales still are possible, I think the forecasts are too optimistic by quite a large margin (sign on fees, agent fees etc). So this will be interesting to follow next summer depending on where Chelsea finish."

Since Todd Boehly’s arrival, Chelsea have handed several long-term contracts to new signings to spread costs.

This is a form of creative accounting used to balance the books by gradually writing off the initial cost of a player over the course of their deal.

While UEFA reacted to this practice by ruling that from this summer window, clubs will be able to offer long deals but be limited to spreading out the cost of fees to a five-year period, the Premier League never made such a move.

And with Chelsea not in European competition this term following their 12th-placed finish last season, they have been able to continue exploiting the FFP loophole.

According to Mail Sport, the anomaly in accounting rules has been raised with the Premier League by a host of clubs and is set to be discussed at shareholders' meetings this season, with a view to a rule change being introduced for the 2024/25 campaign.