Chelsea co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have revealed that the club rejected a huge offer for one of their academy stars in the summer.
Owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have faced criticism for selling a host of Cobham graduates including Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher.
Mount was sold to Manchester United for £55million, Gallagher left for Atletico Madrid for £33m and other players like Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja have been put up for sale.
There have been accusations that the deals are part of a strategy to meet Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR), but Winstanley says there is a “misconception” about Chelsea selling academy products.
And, in an interview with the Telegraph, Winstanley has revealed that Chelsea turned down “a significant offer” for one of their academy stars in the summer transfer window.
“We had a significant offer for one of our academy products this summer that we absolutely chose not to take,” he said. “There’s a lot of misconception out there.
“We’ve had two debuts this year. There’s three or four more players in behind who we think we can push through this year as well that we’re keen to do. The manager’s on board with that, he’s aware of the players coming through. We give them opportunities when we can to make sure they’ve got that pathway.
“It’s not just about PSR, it’s contractual statuses, it’s circumstances. The two players you referenced, there were contractual problems that we walked into. It’s really important for us to bring through players.”
Winstanley and Stewart have also backed new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca and said the Italian “has got the personality to manage this club”.
Chelsea have made a strong start to the season and Winstanley and Stewart are confident the Blues are on the right path.
“Enzo was somebody we admired and were keen to bring here,” said Winstanley. “We were really excited by the way he works, aligned with the club and the playing squad, how it’s set up to move forwards. And we absolutely see him here for the long term, that’s definitely how we see it.
“He’s got the personality to manage this club and coach this team, and he’s got a strong belief in the playing style, as we have. And that’s translating to the pitch, it’s translating to the players. The players have got a belief in that. So, none of us are surprised that he’s grasped it quite quickly, but it’s early days and we’ve got to keep that momentum going.”
Stewart said: “As Paul said, we do see it for the long term. He has a five-year contract, that’s what Enzo signed and now he needs a period of time to work with the group and continue to confirm his ideas about his way of playing and for the players to understand that. It’s still very early days.”
