Chelsea receive Champions League boost with suspended Mykhailo Mudryk's wages not budgeted under UEFA rules

Chelsea have splashed the cash on five headline signings: Joao Pedro, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato, Liam Delap and teenage sensation Estevao Willian. Under normal circumstances, UEFA’s strict financial controls might have forced the club into painful choices about who to leave out of the 25-man “A list” for the Champions League.

Instead, Mudryk’s suspension has opened up vital space in the books. By excluding him from this season’s submission, Chelsea will free up a significant chunk of budget, enough to squeeze in all five summer additions without falling foul of European financial rules, as revealed by The Sun.

When Chelsea agreed a long-term deal with Mudryk in January 2023, his £97,000-per-week salary was just one part of the outlay. Under UEFA’s accounting system, the annual cost of a player includes both wages and the amortised value of the transfer fee. For Mudryk, that added up to roughly £17m ($23m) per season. By striking his name off the Champions League list this year, Chelsea instantly wipe that £17m ($23m) from their squad budget. To put that into perspective, it’s more than enough to cover both Estevao and Hato combined, based on estimated amortisation and salaries.

UEFA rules allow clubs to submit fewer than 25 players on their “A list” if they want to cut costs. Chelsea could realistically name only 22 senior players and fill the gaps with an army of youngsters via the “B list”. This is where the Blues’ much-vaunted youth system plays its part. Academy talents such as Romeo Lavia, Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George all qualify for the secondary list, meaning the club can bolster the squad without eating into their official budget. It’s a neat workaround that could save millions while still giving manager Enzo Maresca plenty of options.

The arithmetic may not stop there. If Chelsea can resolve the futures of high-earners Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, they could free up a further £30m ($40m) worth of Champions League squad budget. Such savings might even pave the way for marquee additions like Xavi Simons or Alejandro Garnacho, should the Blues press ahead with further transfer ambitions.