Chelsea 2024/25

Unless Jackson agreed to lower his weekly wages, which he surely didn't, I have absolutely no clue why this happened!

This is the most bizarre, logic-defying contract extension I've seen in my lifetime considering the quality of the player and the number of years still remaining in his previous contract.
Let them cook.

But in all seriousness, there probably are terms in that contract that somehow benefit Chelsea, what that is I don't know. It's only 2 years longer than his original contract. They will never have to renew it again if they don't want to but they probably didn't need to on his original deal. I can't wait for an explanation.
 
Last edited:
What mad sh*t is this? :lol:

Every time Chelsea do something nowadays I immediately assume it's some dodgy way of circumventing the PSR rules, no doubt there'll be some along those lines for this extension. I bet he's on a lesser wage per week over a longer period that will be guaranteed to be paid regardless of whether he stays at the club or something crazy like that.
Yeah, just spread it out over a longer period like when you want to reduce your car finance payments. Apparently, he's on 65k a week so that would make it easier to shift him if he does need to be sold as the buyer wouldn't have to pay much in wages. It's actually a good way to lower wages but it doesn't account for when a player needs to be sold and there isn't a buyer. The loan rules are changing which will strangle Chelsea.
 
Unless Jackson agreed to lower his weekly wages, which he surely didn't, I have absolutely no clue why this happened!

This is the most bizarre, logic-defying contract extension I've seen in my lifetime considering the quality of the player and the number of years still remaining in his previous contract.
They are probably trying the NFL contract model where they can front load or back load the money in order to create more salary cap space (in this case PSR/FFP).

Problem being, of course, it doesn’t cost a transfer fee to buy NFL players and if you suck, you actually get the crème de la crème from the youngsters, not so much with football. All those long contracts and transfer fees will look very silly if they don’t get CL football consistently, or the Super League.
 
They are probably trying the NFL contract model where they can front load or back load the money in order to create more salary cap space (in this case PSR/FFP).

Problem being, of course, it doesn’t cost a transfer fee to buy NFL players and if you suck, you actually get the crème de la crème from the youngsters, not so much with football. All those long contracts and transfer fees will look very silly if they don’t get CL football consistently, or the Super League.
That can't just be they transplanted a US pro sport model here, though it probably certainly could colour their strategy. Someone mentioned in one of those threads they see a lot of untapped commercial potential in football so they must be gambling on something : Superleague, TV rights, new markets ?

There's talks it's a way to prepare for a transfer ban though it seems a little tautological.
 
Last edited:
Isn't that a stupid assumption though? The only reason the loan deal and wage distribution was as bad as that was because it was left way, way too late in the window to tell him he's not wanted anymore so the options were quite limited. For the next two years it will be clear as day from the get go that he's for sale so there's lots more time to find a solution that works out best for everyone and not just heavily lopsided in the buyer's favor. We found a solution to move on fecking Lukaku for an actual transfer fee while also getting his huge salary off the books completely so I don't see any reason why we couldn't find something less shite than you're describing for Sterling as well.

As for Sancho, there's just not enough information yet on what his salary situation will be. Given the pay structure put in place at Chelsea since the current sporting directors have come in and the meager offers the club were putting in front of Osimhen last night, I would say there's very little chance Sancho is earning anywhere near his Man Utd salary as a base wage. The contract will very likely be heavily incentivized (like all Chelsea contracts in the last 3 windows) where he can earn a ton by playing well but the base salary is much more reasonable. If he's shite he won't earn as much as he could by playing well.

The biggest sign of how haphazard your directors have been.
 
I sort of understand wanting to tie Palmer down for as long as possible, even if I wouldn't give any player that kind of contract... but Jackson has blown hot and cold if you're being kind.

I can't even imagine an angle from which this makes any sense at all? I can only guess it's some kind of accountancy 5D backgammon.
A 22 year old striker managing 17 goals in his first season in England when he's being paid a relative pittance is a pretty significant underpay. We had plenty of issues last year; Jackson improved significantly as the year went on and personally I'm glad we didn't waste money on Toney or Osimhen.
 
A 22 year old striker managing 17 goals in his first season in England when he's being paid a relative pittance is a pretty significant underpay. We had plenty of issues last year; Jackson improved significantly as the year went on and personally I'm glad we didn't waste money on Toney or Osimhen.
Just give it 5 months.
 
Just give it 5 months.
Toney's overrating is bizarre; so much of his value is disproportionately in penalties. Osimhen of course has played at a higher level but is constantly injured and is worth nowhere close to his salary. Of the three Jackson is comfortably the best option given age, injury history, and salary.
 
Yeah, just spread it out over a longer period like when you want to reduce your car finance payments. Apparently, he's on 65k a week so that would make it easier to shift him if he does need to be sold as the buyer wouldn't have to pay much in wages. It's actually a good way to lower wages but it doesn't account for when a player needs to be sold and there isn't a buyer. The loan rules are changing which will strangle Chelsea.
The problem is that £65k over nine years is over £30 million total. I would assume that whoever wants to buy him next will need to match that, so if they want to offer a 5 year contract, it would have to be £115k per week.
 
Great, papped out of my son's football teams last man standing again because of Chelsea. That's 2 in a row I've been put out because of them.
 
I sort of understand wanting to tie Palmer down for as long as possible, even if I wouldn't give any player that kind of contract... but Jackson has blown hot and cold if you're being kind.

I can't even imagine an angle from which this makes any sense at all? I can only guess it's some kind of accountancy 5D backgammon.

Clearlake are buying players with borrowed money, so they can't let players go for free. That simple. Don't want Mbappe situation.

No idea who's representing these players, but I can't see any upside from agreeing a 10 year contract. Only if they suffer a career ending injury or something like that.

If they think they'll actually improve as a player, it makes no sense from their perspective.
 
Ref fecked us with him letting Hughes off for the second booking and Dean Henderson made some cracking saves. Annoying but 9/10 times we come out of that game with a win. Enzo Fernandez with yet another bollocks game while Chukwuemeka can't even get on the subs bench. And João Felix was predictably shit when he came on.
 
Trying to find logic in, and make sense of, Clearlake stuff is a full time job at this point :lol:
 
The problem is that £65k over nine years is over £30 million total. I would assume that whoever wants to buy him next will need to match that, so if they want to offer a 5 year contract, it would have to be £115k per week.
I don't think footballers or agents think that way. They will focus on annual salary when it comes to deciding on a move, not on total wages over the entirety of the contract.

Say he decides to sign a deal elsewhere for 5 years at 90k per week - that's 23.4m in total for that contract. You're telling me he wouldn't bet on himself to sign a deal worth at least 7m over 4 years after that?
 
Let them cook.

But in all seriousness, there probably are terms in that contract that somehow benefit Chelsea, what that is I don't know. It's only 2 years longer than his original contract. They will never have to renew it again if they don't want to but they probably didn't need to on his original deal. I can't wait for an explanation.
The thing is, if he somehow explodes into a top striker (and there are some signs there) he’s then in a good position (and justifiably so) to renegotiate for a higher salary.

Particularly, if Chelsea relative slump continues - which isn’t beyond the realms of possibility - and Jackson wants to secure CL football/trophies elsewhere.

I don’t profess to be an expert on the nuances of finance within the game but I just don’t understand the logic. Like you said, Chelsea must benefit in some capacity.
 
Toney's overrating is bizarre; so much of his value is disproportionately in penalties. Osimhen of course has played at a higher level but is constantly injured and is worth nowhere close to his salary. Of the three Jackson is comfortably the best option given age, injury history, and salary.
Jackson is comfortably not a team's main goalscorer. He's at his best playing a support role

You should have paid Osimhen
 
Clearlake are buying players with borrowed money, so they can't let players go for free. That simple. Don't want Mbappe situation.

No idea who's representing these players, but I can't see any upside from agreeing a 10 year contract. Only if they suffer a career ending injury or something like that.

If they think they'll actually improve as a player, it makes no sense from their perspective.
For me, that's the main reason it's a bad idea from the club's perspective as well. If you're immediately just set for your whole career right out of the gate, it has to have an effect on your motivation levels for all but the most driven, professional players.

I think Saul (Atletico) fell off a cliff very soon after the ink was dry on his 7-year deal or whatever it was (I guess you Chelsea fans saw how bad he got up close as well!). Chelsea are just giving those types of deals to everyone as a matter of course. I can't see the reasoning at all.
 
I don't think footballers or agents think that way. They will focus on annual salary when it comes to deciding on a move, not on total wages over the entirety of the contract.

Say he decides to sign a deal elsewhere for 5 years at 90k per week - that's 23.4m in total for that contract. You're telling me he wouldn't bet on himself to sign a deal worth at least 7m over 4 years after that?
I mean if there was a £7 million shortfall on what I’d signed at Chelsea, I would want to see that £7 million.
 
Ref fecked us with him letting Hughes off for the second booking and Dean Henderson made some cracking saves. Annoying but 9/10 times we come out of that game with a win. Enzo Fernandez with yet another bollocks game while Chukwuemeka can't even get on the subs bench. And João Felix was predictably shit when he came on.
This.

What's going on with Enzo Fernandez? Supposed to be a cracking player!
 
Jackson is comfortably not a team's main goalscorer. He's at his best playing a support role

You should have paid Osimhen
We don't need him to be the team's main goalscorer since we have plenty of goals from Palmer at the 10.

Osimhen has played 30 league matches once in his entire career. Paying him 5x Jackson's salary would have been idiotic.
 
So much PSR budget to play with and you spend it like this

Bear with me sir. I haven’t passed my Clearlake shenanigans exam just yet. When I have, I’ll come back and explain everything.
 
Jackson is comfortably not a team's main goalscorer. He's at his best playing a support role

You should have paid Osimhen

Paid Osimhen what? His inflated Napoli salary? Do we know what he was asking for?
 
I mean if there was a £7 million shortfall on what I’d signed at Chelsea, I would want to see that £7 million.
Right - so you think he might be so terrible as a 28/29 year old that he couldn't get a 4 year deal paying 34k per week? That's the break-even point we're talking about here.
 
We don't need him to be the team's main goalscorer since we have plenty of goals from Palmer at the 10.

Osimhen has played 30 league matches once in his entire career. Paying him 5x Jackson's salary would have been idiotic.
That's what happened last year, and where did you guys finish?

Paid Osimhen what? His inflated Napoli salary? Do we know what he was asking for?
You shouldn't have paid him 5x Jackson's salary or even matched his Napoli one. Just, you know, don't offer a third of what he makez in guaranteed money
 
Right - so you think he might be so terrible as a 28/29 year old that he couldn't get a 4 year deal paying 34k per week? That's the break-even point we're talking about here.
But that not the point. He’s signed that at Chelsea so he should be paid at least £30 million from now until the expiration of whatever contract he signs at the new club. Let’s say he moves onto a new club next season and is only guaranteed £20 million over four years. Then gets injured and either can’t play or isn’t worth much, he’s lost out on £10 million. I would assume that the main benefit of signing these long term contracts for the players is that they’re guaranteed money.
 
That's what happened last year, and where did you guys finish?


You shouldn't have paid him 5x Jackson's salary or even matched his Napoli one. Just, you know, don't offer a third of what he makez in guaranteed money
It's outside the realm of possibility that he might improve this year despite the fact that he clearly improved from the first half to the second half of his first season?

I just don't agree that Osimhen is the player worth disrupting the wage structure for. If he's keen on the move and is willing to take a discount to fit in then sure - but gambling that he will stay fit, adapt to the PL, and not unsettle the rest of the squad is a bridge too far.
 
It's outside the realm of possibility that he might improve this year despite the fact that he clearly improved from the first half to the second half of his first season?

I just don't agree that Osimhen is the player worth disrupting the wage structure for. If he's keen on the move and is willing to take a discount to fit in then sure - but gambling that he will stay fit, adapt to the PL, and not unsettle the rest of the squad is a bridge too far.
I guess we'll see about Jackson. This is his second season ever in that kind of role

As for Osimhen, fair enough. You should have signed a striker is my point. Someone who actually is a main goal scorer and won't have to improve massively in one year to give you 20+ goals
 
But that not the point. He’s signed that at Chelsea so he should be paid at least £30 million from now until the expiration of whatever contract he signs at the new club. Let’s say he moves onto a new club next season and is only guaranteed £20 million over four years. Then gets injured and either can’t play or isn’t worth much, he’s lost out on £10 million. I would assume that the main benefit of signing these long term contracts for the players is that they’re guaranteed money.
I understand what you're saying but that's not how agents and footballers will look at it.

The deal he has with Chelsea is generational wealth, let's call it 30m. If he opts to sign a shorter deal elsewhere for a modest raise (again the 90k per week for 5 years) - that's 23m, still generational wealth. The upshot is that if he signs simply a 4 year extension at that 90k, all of a sudden he's up 12m from the Chelsea offer - and if he instead gets a raise to 120k per week let's say then he's up 18m.

Footballers and agents will always look to maximise the opportunity of a player's longevity. Of course everyone will have a different tolerance for the amount of guaranteed money they're willing to give up but I just don't think it's correct to say that remaining owed wages would be the starting point for a future shorter contract given a transfer.
 
I guess we'll see about Jackson. This is his second season ever in that kind of role

As for Osimhen, fair enough. You should have signed a striker is my point. Someone who actually is a main goal scorer and won't have to improve massively in one year to give you 20+ goals
Mate not all of us are lucky enough to get Mbappe on a free!

The guy I like the most is Gyokeres at Sporting - but I'm not sure he's worth the €100m release clause or whatever it is, and I just don't know what the other reasonable options are that would be a higher floor than Jackson given he's settled and improving. As you say it's fair to point out that for Villareal he mostly played off the left - so with that context, his development has genuinely been pretty quick. I'd rather see how he can continue to grow than impinge his potential with a player who may or may not be an actual floor-raiser.
 
Toney's overrating is bizarre; so much of his value is disproportionately in penalties. Osimhen of course has played at a higher level but is constantly injured and is worth nowhere close to his salary. Of the three Jackson is comfortably the best option given age, injury history, and salary.
Toney is overrated but you know what you're going to get from game to game and he's more consistent. Osimhen commands a high salary but he's worth every penny as he's one of the best in Europe. Jackson misses 100 chances a game and contributed to costing you this game today.
 
Jackson is comfortably not a team's main goalscorer. He's at his best playing a support role

You should have paid Osimhen

No way, seemingly terrible attitude. Even old Chelsea wouldn't go for him I think.

Mbappe got a signing bonus of 150m or so, not free...

Real Madrid are a football club that aims to win things and fan owned. Chelsea is a business designed to be sold at a big profit in 2030 or whenever Clearlake are allowed and able to...

That's the difference, also why we've declined so much. Need the team to peak in 2030, not now...
 
Toney is overrated but you know what you're going to get from game to game and he's more consistent. Osimhen commands a high salary but he's worth every penny as he's one of the best in Europe. Jackson misses 100 chances a game and contributed to costing you this game today.
More consistently worse than the guy we have isn't a great selling point.

Osimhen again has only played 30+ league matches one single time in his entire career. If he plays like he does during the one season Napoli won the Scudetto he's one of the best in Europe - but one year removed they're trying desperately to move him on because he's not worth even remotely close to every penny they're paying him.

We've just finally offloaded our ludicrous striker contract; personally very glad we haven't stepped on that rake again.
 
How often did he even play on the left at United? Rashford has pretty much commandeered that position since forever.

First season he signed because they had to move Greenwood to the right when Ronaldo came back. Rashford I think had injury issues start of that season.

Looking at today and seems Maresca is happy playing just two CMs currently but they'll be plenty of games where you'll need a Lavia alongside the regular two so even less space for attackers in a 4-3-3 if Palmer is obviously an automatic pick.
 
Chelsea selling Angelo for 7m profit. Cant do anything but laugh at this.

Not even trying to hide.
 
How often did he even play on the left at United? Rashford has pretty much commandeered that position since forever.
During the first few months after Ten Hag took over (up until the World Cup I think), Rashford was playing centre forward and Sancho was on the left.