A group of Chelsea players are set to receive pay cuts after their dismal season, with some of them facing a 30 per cent reduction.
The Blues are enduring a nightmare campaign. They are 11th in the Premier League table - with just 39 points to their name - and failed to go far in the Carabao Cup, FA Cup or Champions League, despite being Europe's biggest spenders over the last year.
Chelsea have invested nearly £600million in fresh talent since Todd Boehly's consortium completed a takeover last summer. They have also had four different managers this season, leaving Gary Neville to tell The Overlap: "Boehly is having an absolute nightmare."
As reported by The Telegraph, Chelsea's new owners inserted clauses into contracts to protect themselves if they failed to qualify for the Champions League - one of football's most lucrative competitions. That fear has now become a reality for club chair Boehly.
Chelsea are extremely unlikely to finish in the Premier League's top four, as they are 17 points behind Newcastle in fourth with just 21 points up for grabs. Chelsea could've qualified for the Champions League by winning this season's tournament, yet they failed to achieve that. The Blues were knocked out in the quarter-finals by holders Real Madrid on Tuesday night, suffering a 4-0 aggregate defeat.
Boehly covered his tacks by introducing a new bonus system that includes a Champions League reduction clause in contracts. Previous owner Roman Abramovich did not adhere to such a strategy, as he preferred to pay bonuses for winning trophies.
What's your thoughts on Todd Boehly's ownership of Chelsea? Let us know in the comments below!
Not every player will be affected by the clause, such as those who agreed their existing deals under the Abramovich era. Those Chelsea stars not impacted include Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic and Christian Pulisic.
Yet the likes of Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Noni Madueke, Reece James, Cesar Azpilicueta and Ben Chilwell will be taking a closer look at their pay cheques.
Chelsea have dished out some huge contracts under Boehly. Fernandez, Mudryk and Madueke all have more than EIGHT YEARS remaining on their existing deals, while Benoit Badiashile and Malo Gusto are set to remain at Stamford Bridge until June 2030.
Boehly has faced criticism for Chelsea's dismal campaign. "It's just scattergun and unsuitable," tweeted Neville when asked about Chelsea's transfer business last August. "I doubt this approach will go down well."
Neville has been proved right. Boehly replaced manager Thomas Tuchel with Graham Potter last September, just days after signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for Tuchel. That move backfired when Potter was sacked by the Blues last month.
Bruno Saltor took charge of one game before Frank Lampard was reappointed as caretaker manager earlier this month. Lampard has since lost all four of his games in charge and now boasts a shocking record of one win and 14 defeats in his last 17 games as a manager.
