Todd Boehly’s at it again! Chelsea co-owner using more financial tricks as Los Angeles Dodgers get creative to sign Shohei Ohtani in $700 million deal eclipsing Lionel Messi's Barcelona record

That deal is worth $700 million (£557m) and ties the Japanese superstar to the Dodgers for the next 10 years. Said terms eclipse the previous sporting record that was posted by current Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi when he signed a $673m (£535m) contract at former club Barcelona.

All is not as it seems, however, with Boehly and Co finding a way around MLB salary cap rules that will allow them to bring former LA Angels star Ohtani on board while also retaining the services of key men such as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Boehly has been finding ways to beat the system in the Premier League transfer market, with Chelsea splashing out over £1 billion ($1.3bn) during his relatively short time in the Stamford Bridge boardroom – but tying most of those new signings to long-term contracts that allows payments to be spread over several years.

The Dodgers are doing likewise with Ohtani. According to The Athletic, the 29-year-old pitcher has agreed to defer all but $2m of his annual salary - $68m (£54m) per year – with the rest of the money he is owed set to be paid without interest between 2034 and 2043. Boehly is yet to see his methods work in the football world – as Chelsea struggle for consistency – but greater success may be enjoyed when chasing down World Series glory in baseball circles.