Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has urged the Premier League to review its financial regulations to prevent clubs from being forced to sell their academy players. Current rules state that when academy graduates are sold, the entire transfer fee is considered “pure profit”, helping clubs meet the league's strict profit and sustainability regulations.
In recent news, Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, who has been at the club since the age of eight, has agreed a £33m deal with Atletico Madrid. Other academy players including Mason Mount, Lewis Hall, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ian Maatsen, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour have also been sold by the club in the past year. These sales have allowed Chelsea to spend more than £1 billion in the last four transfer windows, setting a new world record.
When asked about the possible backlash from fans due to the sale of popular academy players, Maresca noted that this issue goes beyond Chelsea. He claimed: “Every club at the moment is forced to sell academy players because of the rules. It's every club's problem in the Premier League.”
Maresca has also regretted that the current regulations prevent the appearance of “men from a club”, such as Francesco Totti, who spent 20 years with Roma. He believes that the fans appreciate this loyalty, but the current regulations make it more and more difficult.
In response to whether Chelsea's spending habits have contributed to this situation, Maresca acknowledged that all the big clubs are investing in players, some spending more than others. He expressed his personal disappointment at the inability to encourage “one club men” under the current rules.
Asked if the rules need to be changed, Maresca said: “If they want to protect the academy players, probably yes.” It is worth noting that Premier League clubs have agreed to trial an alternative financial system, similar to a spending cap, in the 2024-25 season.
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