Since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital took over ownership of Chelsea in 2022, the club has consistently offered new signings lengthy contracts, often lasting six or seven years, extending well into the 2030s.
Recently, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson extended their contracts with Chelsea, committing to the club until 2033, giving them an unusually long nine years remaining on their current deals.
Chelsea has faced criticism for this approach, with concerns voiced by figures such as former player Emmanuel Petit.
Petit argues that long-term deals may reduce a player’s motivation, as they might feel they no longer need to prove themselves once they have secured such a contract.
Despite this critique, Chelsea’s management continues to justify the strategy.
One of the initial reasons behind offering extended contracts was financial.
By spreading the cost of a player’s transfer over the length of their contract, the club could manage its financial outlay more effectively.
However, that particular advantage has now been limited by recent regulations, which allow transfer fees to be spread over a maximum of five years.
This change has led many to speculate that Chelsea’s primary motivation for these long-term contracts was related to PSR (Profit and Sustainability Regulations).
Yet, according to Chelsea’s technical director Paul Winstanley and co-sporting director Laurence Stewart, this was never the primary reason.
In a rare interview with *The Telegraph*, Winstanley explained the club’s rationale.
He noted that many people tend to stick with what has traditionally worked, but Chelsea’s ownership was forward-thinking and wanted to implement new strategies.
Winstanley expressed confidence in the club’s approach, stating that after reviewing it together, they saw clear potential in this method, which is why they chose to continue it.
Regarding the speculation around PSR benefits, Winstanley pointed out that since the financial loophole had been closed and the club was still using long contracts, it proved that PSR was not the main reason behind their strategy.
If the goal was purely financial, they would have stopped offering long deals once the rules changed.
He emphasized that the club’s leadership had other priorities in mind when discussing how these contracts could work long-term.
Other clubs are now adopting a similar approach, as evidenced by Aston Villa’s recent decision to offer Jhon Duran a contract lasting until 2030.
Stewart explained that these lengthy deals reflect the clubs’ confidence in the players’ talent and their long-term value.
He highlighted that identifying talent is crucial when offering such extended contracts, and equally important is the club’s ability to develop these players.
Stewart further emphasized that player development is a key internal focus for Chelsea.
The club’s goal is to continuously improve its players across all teams, ensuring that they can maximize their potential and contribute to the club’s long-term success.
This, according to Stewart and Winstanley, is the true value of the long contracts, which are designed to ensure that the club not only secures talent but also fosters growth and improvement over time.
