Chelsea co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly is allegedly of the opinion that the Blues will soon be hit with a transfer ban.
Boehly and Clearlake Capital have spearheaded a mass spending spree since they replaced Roman Abramovich at the helm in May 2022.
However, paying in excess of £1bn on new players has led to more problems than anticipated, particularly on the pitch where Chelsea are yet to make any headway in their quest to return to the Champions League.
Chelsea are already under fierce pressure to pass the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules, there reportedly being a necessity to generate substantial funds before the next accounting date of June 30.
Should Chelsea fail to do so, a points penalty - as shown in the cases of Everton and Nottingham Forest - is highly likely, yet it appears that more issues could lie ahead for Boehly and co.
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What allegedly happened during the Abramovich reign?
Soon after their arrival at Stamford Bridge, the new hierarchy self-reported issues that they discovered from the previous ownership, with Abramovich and previous club officials said to have committed numerous rule breaches.
Secrets payments were allegedly made to offshore accounts, breaking Premier League rules in the process, and Chelsea are now awaiting their fate with punishment seemingly more likely than not.
Although any breaches came under different ownership, Chelsea remain in a position to face the consequences, and Boehly seemingly feels that is on the way.
According to Football Insider, club officials feel that a transfer embargo will inevitably be imposed on them.
Speaking to the outlet's Inside Track podcast, correspondent Pete O'Rourke is of the opinion that Boehly has been preparing for such a punishment.
Furthermore, finance expert Kieran Maguire has told the same outlet that such has been Chelsea's excessive spending over the past two years that Boehly is expecting to be restricted in terms of player additions.
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How would Chelsea handle a transfer ban this summer?
Although Chelsea are being linked with new additions on a weekly basis, a transfer ban would not necessary be a disaster, partly to rein in their expansive approach to the market.
Chelsea already have as many as 31 players who possess a squad number in the first-team squad, and over a dozen players who are out on loan and could plausibly return to take senior roles.
All things considered, a transfer ban may prove to be a blessing in disguise; Boehly and Clearlake Capital could reduce their outgoings without the temptation of signing any more players.
On the flip side, their short-term trajectory up the Premier League table may be affected, but with Chelsea having handed out an array of long-term contracts, they would be forced to show faith in that approach rather than be swayed off course.
Darren Plant
