Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Barcelona have been fined by UEFA for breaching financial regulations, placing their immediate transfer strategies under scrutiny. Chelsea, who have received the heaviest punishment, face a €31 million (£27 million) fine, with a potential additional €60 million over the next four years if they fail to comply with financial rules. Crucially, the club may also be barred from registering new signings in UEFA competitions for the next two seasons unless they demonstrate that player sales have offset their spending.
This development places pressure on Chelsea to generate significant revenue through outgoing transfers. The club has already made sizable investments this summer, including a £30 million move for Liam Delap and a deal worth up to £60 million for João Pedro. They have also lined up signings for Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens and Palmeiras’s Estêvão Willian, with the latter expected to join after the Club World Cup. To stay within UEFA’s guidelines, Chelsea are reportedly open to selling players such as Noni Madueke and Christopher Nkunku, while others, including João Félix and Raheem Sterling, are not part of the club’s long-term plans. Sterling, who earns £325,000 per week and has two years remaining on his contract, is among the high earners Chelsea may look to offload.
UEFA found that both Chelsea and Villa had violated football earnings and squad cost ratio (SCR) rules, which cap club expenditure on player costs at 80% of total revenue. Villa were fined €11 million, with another €15 million suspended over a three-year period. Each additional year of non-compliance could trigger a further €5 million fine. However, Villa remain confident they can meet these requirements while continuing to strengthen their squad. The club has agreed with UEFA on a “glide path” toward financial stability and is also working to avoid a Premier League points deduction by selling its women’s team to aid compliance.
Villa are under less pressure to sell key players but are focused on reducing their wage bill. The club confirmed the termination of Philippe Coutinho’s contract, allowing him to join Vasco da Gama on a permanent basis. Other players such as Emiliano Buendía, Louie Barry, and Alex Moreno are expected to leave. Kaine Kesler-Hayden has already completed a £3.5 million move to Coventry. Interest in goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is growing, with several top clubs reportedly monitoring his situation.
Elsewhere, UEFA also fined Lyon (€12.5 million), Besiktas (€900,000), Panathinaikos (€400,000), and Hajduk Split (€300,000) for similar financial breaches. The disciplinary measures underscore UEFA’s tightened oversight under the current financial sustainability regulations, which replaced the previous financial fair play model.
