Chelsea players who have been signed or agreed new deals since the Boehly-Clearlake Capital owners took over will reportedly face a hefty 'pay cut of up to 30 per cent' due to a clause introduced into their contracts. It's been an eventful first season at Stamford Bridge for Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital with more than £600million spent on new signings while two managers have also been sacked.
This year's Champions League campaign was their final shot at redeeming what has been a disastrous season, but they were unable to turn things around against Real Madrid. But not only does that ensure Chelsea won't be playing Champions League football next season, it may also cause some issues in the playing squad.
According to the Telegraph, Chelsea's new owners introduced a 'Champions League reduction clause' into contracts signed under their stewardship. The club have made 12 permanent signings over the past year while several players have also put pen to paper on new contracts such as Reece James, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva.
The report indicates that those players will now face a wage cut of up to 30 per cent after the club failed to qualify for next year's Champions League. However, the reduction clause reportedly won't affect any player currently on a contract signed during Roman Abramovich's era.
The likes of N'Golo Kante and Mason Mount have been in negotiations with Chelsea over a new deal, but no breakthrough has been made yet. The report adds that those players looking for contract extensions will 'have to agree to the Champions League clause' in their new deals.
It potentially creates a sticking point in contract negotiations for Chelsea with players unlikely to accept such a huge pay cut. No such clause was in place during Abramovich's reign, although they only failed to finish inside the top four on a handful of occasions.
It's the first time since 2018 that Chelsea will not be competing in the Champions League, when they went on to win the Europa League. The main focus for interim boss Frank Lampard will be to avoid the club dropping further down the table.
They currently sit 11th and face a challenge on their hands to qualify for either the Europa League or Europa Conference League. They're currently on course for their worst finish in the Premier League since 1996, when they ended up 11th.
Chelsea now have a week to prepare for their next Premier League match against Brentford on April 26 before a difficult test away to title contenders Arsenal on May 2.
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