How UEFA are slamming door shut on Chelsea transfer loophole worth 85m to Blues

UEFA are to put new guidelines in place in time for the summer to stop clubs like Chelsea from exploiting Financial Fair Play by using long-term contracts.

However, our investigation has found that Chelsea's new owners have already managed to boost their spending power by a staggering 85m during their first eight months in charge.

FFP was introduced generally to ensure clubs do not spend more money in transfers and wages than they are able to earn. In working out that balance, transfer fees are accounted for over the entire length of the player's contract, with add-ons only included as and when they are triggered.

By that token, Mykhaylo Mudryk's 88m move, including a potential 26m in add-ons, from Shakhtar Donetsk goes onto this years annual FFP accounts as just 7.3m when the initial amount is split over the length of his Premier League record-breaking eight-and-a-half year contract.