Chelsea Made More Player Sale Profit Under Abramovich Than New Owners

Shocking figures show Chelsea's player trading struggles under new ownership.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 9:33am

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A minimalist studio still life photograph featuring a stack of financial ledgers, a calculator, and a pen on a clean, monochromatic background, conceptually representing the complex corporate finances and player trading strategy at Chelsea Football Club.Chelsea's player trading struggles are laid bare in the club's latest financial filings, which show a stark contrast between the Abramovich and new ownership eras.Chelsea Today

Chelsea's recently filed accounts for last season reveal the club made just £32 million in player sale profits, a far cry from the £300 million in fees received. This means the Premier League record summer in terms of fees generated little financial benefit, as the club was still paying off the book value of most of those players. In contrast, Chelsea actually made more from player profits in the last three years under Roman Abramovich's ownership than in the three full years since the club was acquired by the BlueCo group.

Why it matters

The figures highlight the challenges Chelsea's new ownership group has faced in trying to make the club's player trading more profitable. With gross transfer spending reaching £1.87 billion and player amortization costs hitting a record £212.2 million, the club's financial situation remains precarious despite the high fees received for player sales.

The details

According to a breakdown by The Athletic's Chris Weatherspoon, the £300 million in player sales last summer generated a profit of just £32 million for Chelsea. This is because the club was still paying off the book value of most of those players. In comparison, Chelsea's sister club Strasbourg booked £34.4 million in player sale profits. The club's player trading has actually been more profitable under the previous ownership of Roman Abramovich than the current BlueCo group.

  • Chelsea's recently filed accounts for the 2022-23 season are the source of these figures.
  • The club made a Premier League record £300 million in player sales last summer.

The players

Roman Abramovich

The former owner of Chelsea Football Club, who owned the club from 2003 to 2022.

BlueCo

The investment group that acquired Chelsea Football Club in 2022.

Marc Cucurella

A Chelsea player who had most of the team's expected goals (xG) against Manchester City, indicating the team's struggles.

Andrey Santos

A Chelsea player who claimed the team was actually doing well in the first half against Manchester City, despite the poor results.

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What they’re saying

“The details of Chelsea's recently filed accounts for last season are in, and boy do they make some ugly reading.”

— Will Faulks, Author

The takeaway

Chelsea's new ownership group is facing significant challenges in making the club's player trading more profitable, with the club's financial situation remaining precarious despite high fees received for player sales. The figures highlight the difficulties in transitioning the club's business model away from the heavy spending of the Abramovich era.