To shed light on the reasons why Chelsea offers long-term contracts, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have revealed the truth.
Chelsea’s sporting directors, Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, recently shed light on the club’s decision to offer long-term contracts in an uncommon interview. Since the takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital in 2022, the club has routinely signed new players to contracts lasting six or seven years, extending their stay at the club well into the 2030s.
Recent signees, such as Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson, have committed to Chelsea until 2033, leaving them with an impressive nine years remaining on their current deals.
Winstanley and Stewart’s explanation for long-term contracts
Chelsea’s approach to these extended contracts has sparked debate, with critics arguing that players may become complacent once they’ve secured a long-term deal. Former Chelsea player Emmanuel Petit voiced concerns that these contracts might reduce players’ motivation, as they would feel less pressure to consistently perform.
One of the initial reasons for offering such lengthy deals was to spread the cost of a player’s transfer fee over the duration of the contract. This practice was beneficial under Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, as it allowed the club to amortize large transfer fees over a longer period, making the financial hit less severe in any single season. However, this loophole has recently been closed, and transfer fees can now only be amortized over a maximum of five years. Despite this change, Chelsea continues to offer long-term deals.
Many have speculated that these contracts were primarily a way to maintain financial stability under FFP regulations, but Winstanley and Stewart dispelled this notion in their interview. Speaking to The Telegraph, Winstanley explained, “People often think, ‘This is how it’s always been done, so we have to keep doing it this way,’ but without innovation and forward-thinking, you’ll never progress. It’s a clever strategy the owners came up with from the start, and once we analyzed it, we could see its potential. We believe in it.”
Winstanley also addressed the idea that these contracts were solely driven by financial or FFP motives. “There’s no longer any financial advantage from an FFP standpoint, and yet we continue to offer long-term contracts. If it were just about that, we would’ve stopped by now. The financial aspect was never the primary motivation when we discussed it with the owners. It’s about how we, as a club, see this strategy working in the long run.”
A broader trend?
Interestingly, other clubs appear to be following Chelsea’s lead. For example, Aston Villa recently signed Jhon Durán, a previous Chelsea target, to a contract that extends until 2030. This suggests that the trend of long-term deals is catching on.
Laurence Stewart elaborated on the club’s thought process, emphasizing that the value of a player is not just in their immediate performance but in their long-term potential. “The players’ talent and value over time are crucial to a club’s success. Identifying talent is the first step, but you have to be confident in your assessment if you’re going to commit to these kinds of contracts. Once that’s done, it’s about developing those players. One of the things we prioritize is making our players better across all levels of the club.”
This approach highlights Chelsea’s commitment to building for the future. Instead of short-term fixes, the club is investing heavily in its players with the belief that, through proper development, they can maximize the value and performance of their squad over time.
In conclusion, while long-term contracts may have once served a financial purpose, Chelsea’s sporting directors have made it clear that the strategy is now much more about future-proofing the club. They see it as an innovative way to secure top talent and nurture them over the years, ensuring the club remains competitive in the long term. Other teams are beginning to adopt similar approaches, further validating Chelsea’s forward-thinking strategy.
