Chelsea should be given credit if they have found a way to spend hundreds of millions in the transfer market without triggering Financial Fair Play punishments.
That is according to Jamie Carragher, who believes the club’s new plan of handing out ultra-long contracts to spread their cost across several financial years could be a recipe for success.
However, the former England and Liverpool defender can see a scenario in which the strategy backfires.
“If Todd Boehly and Chelsea have found a way around the rules, without breaking them, by putting players on eight- or nine-year contracts, I’ll say good luck to them,” he told The Overlap Live Fan Debate, in partnership with Sky Bet.
“If he has found a way to beat the system, to go out and spend this money without breaking any FFP rules, then he’s ahead of the game. But there are so many smart people in football, and I can’t believe he, whose only just come into the English game, has found a way that no one else has ever thought off.
“What’s down the road for Chelsea, putting players on eight-year contracts? After a few seasons if they don’t do very well, how do you get rid of them? Or, if they do well, they’ll look at the where the market is and want more money and another contract.”
One person under extra pressure as the result of the Blues’ January spree is manager Graham Potter.
Carragher continued: “Spending this money hasn’t made Chelsea better yet, you look at where they are in the league.
“Spending money doesn’t guarantee success. Manchester City have spent an awful lot of money but have had great expertise with different managers. Manchester United is a great example of this from the other side of it - you look at their transfer spending over the last ten years, there’s not much of a difference between themselves and Manchester City.
“With Chelsea, from Graham Potter’s point of view he must be thinking - what is going on here? You can dress it up like he’s delighted with a big squad and all these great players coming in, but he’ll be worried for his job.”
