Enzo Maresca blames Premier League rules for Chelsea’s academy profits

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has said Premier League rules on profit and sustainability are to blame for the club’s recent decision to cash in on academy players, with the club now eyeing homegrown midfielder Conor Gallagher, who could join Atletico Madrid.

English international Gallagher is at a crossroads in his Chelsea career as his current contract expires next summer, meaning the club want him to either extend his deal immediately or agree to a sale in order to avoid Gallagher leaving Stamford Bridge for nothing in 2025.

Premier League clubs undergo an annual assessment to check their compliance with the league’s regulations on profitability and sustainability. To avoid breaches, clubs are increasingly selling players to football schools to balance their budgets.

An academy-trained player can be recorded in the accounts as pure profit, which has led to Premier League clubs focusing on homegrown talent rather than players signed from other clubs.

Since a consortium led by Clearlake Capital and Todd Boehly took over Chelsea in May 2022, the club have sold several academy-produced players, including Lewis Hall, Billy Gilmour, Mason Mount, Ian Maatsen, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Gallagher is expected to be the latest player to leave the academy this summer if he joins Spanish club Atletico Madrid, while academy graduates Armando Broja and Nathaniel Chalobah are also expected to make moves.

Gallagher’s impending move has divided the fan base, with some supporters believing it would be a smart way to recoup funds, while others say it is a betrayal of the club’s academy.

For Chelsea fans, the feeling has become even more acute as under Roman Abramovich the club have also sold players such as Tino Livramento, Marc Guehi, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham.

Maresca was asked on Monday evening about the departure of players from the club’s academy.

“But that’s not Chelsea’s problem,” Maresca replied. “It’s the rules. All clubs at the moment are forced to sell academy players because of the rules. That’s a problem for all Premier League clubs.”

He was then asked by Athletic could he assure Chelsea fans that the club intends to develop players who will feature in the first team rather than simply selling them for profit to balance the budget.

“Of course,” he said. “I also think the intention of the club is not to sell academy players, but it’s the rules that at the end of the day say that you have to do that. It’s not just about us; it’s about all Premier League clubs. It’s a shame because in Italy we have Francesco Totti at Roma, 20 years at the same club.

“A one-club man – that’s what we love about football; the fans want to see that. But with the current rules it’s different to how it was in the past.”

It was pointed out to Maresca that Chelsea had spent a lot of money in the last two years, which also put the club in this position. The club spent more than £1 billion in the first three transfer windows under Clearlake-Boehly’s ownership.

“Yes, but it’s not just Chelsea that spends money on players,” Maresca said. “It’s all the big clubs that try to buy players. Some clubs spend more, some less. I think it’s a shame because we like to watch people from one club, but the rules are different.”

So should the Premier League change the rules?

“If they want to protect the academy players,” Maresca said, “then probably yes.”

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(Photo: Jason Mowry/Getty Images)