Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has admitted that he doesn’t understand how Chelsea were able to spend so much on transfers during the current campaign. The Blues have a net spent of almost $600 million this season, with eight stars joining the club in January alone.
“I’ll say nothing without my lawyer,” joked Klopp when asked about the situation during his press conference on Friday. “I don’t understand this part of the business, what can you do or not do. But it’s a big number. Obviously, the last two windows, I didn’t think once ‘why did they do that?’ They’re all good players. Really good players. So from that point of view, congratulations.”
“I don’t understand how it is possible, but it is obviously not my job to explain how it works.”
Klopp upset as Chelsea found loophole in FFP ‘rules’ for transfers
Chelsea have essentially bypassed sanctions (so far) for Financial Fair Play rules for a few reasons. The Blues have offered most of their signing this season long contracts that are typically not seen in soccer. Enzo Fernandez, Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile, and Noni Madueke are all on seven or eight-year contracts.
Clubs can spread out transfer fees over the course of the player’s contracts. However, UEFA is reportedly closing this loophole and will limit teams to only space out this money over a five-year period.
Player sales also are a bit different than purchases. Under current guidelines, the money received for selling a player is immediately accounted for. This means the fees raised by player sales quickly offset new transfer purchases. Chelsea raised about $72 million in player sales/loan fees during the current campaign.
Guardiola claims City have been criticized for similar actions
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was also asked on Friday whether his club would receive more criticism for the spending spree. “Definitely, I know what would happen because we have in the last five or six years,” proclaimed Guardiola.
“What counts is winning titles. What Chelsea and the other clubs have done is not my business. You need good players like they [big spending teams] all believe but the market is just wow now. You have to spend to achieve. This is the reality.”
City have widely been criticized for their massive spending ever since the club was bought by United Arab Emirates ownership.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Propaganda Photo
