Stefan Borson: Chelsea are set to miss out on £50m shirt deal

Chelsea could be set to have a £50million hole in their accounts if they fail to secure a front-of-shirt sponsorship deal for next season.

That is the view of finance expert Stefan Borson, who exclusively told Football Insider Stamford Bridge chiefs have a decision to make over whether to cave in and sign a lower deal now or hold out for a potentially lucrative multi-year deal.

Chelsea are at risk of starting next season with no front-of-shirt sponsor for a second successive campaign after their deal with Infinite Athlete has expired.

In September last year – two months into the season – the west Londoners struck a £40million per season deal with the US-based sports data company.

But under the agreement, Infinite Athlete is set to transition to a sleeve sponsorship deal for next season, leaving the Premier League giants searching around for a new deal.

Chelsea can’t afford significant financial hole after PSR concerns

Borson suggested Chelsea can’t afford to miss out on a front-of-shirt deal due to their profit and sustainability (PSR) concerns.

“The shirts are being sold without a front-of-shirt sponsor,” Borson told Football Insider.

“I think the fans quite like being able to buy shirts without the sponsor.

“But from a commercial perspective, it’s a £40-50million hole per season to not have the sponsor in place.

“Last season they had Infinite Athlete, who appeared to have been an associated party so that had to go through a fair value assessment.

“We don’t know exactly what sort of value that was, but they talk about it as £40million.

“We understand this year that they have either not been able to get it through as an associated party transaction or they have not tried.

“The deals they have tried to do, they don’t seem to be able to get close to that £40million. They are already on the back foot in terms of the front-of-shirt sponsor.

“They have got a decision to make as to whether they cave in now, take whatever they can get, maybe £20-30million or try and hold out for a multi-year deal beyond this season. It’s a big issue for them.

“In a year where they have got no Champions League again and they have lost over £200million at the operating level, they haven’t got space to have a £30-40million hole in the profit and loss from the front of shirt not being taken.

“It’s just another one of these issues that Chelsea need to deal with.”

In other news, Newcastle “confident” of agreeing deal with Chelsea target.

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