Enzo Maresca believes it is the “Premier League’s downside” that academy graduates reminiscent of Conor Gallagher are being bought by their boyhood golf equipment.
Gallagher is ready to develop into the most recent Cobham graduate to bid farewell to Stamford Bridge after agreeing a transfer to Atletico Madrid. The midfielder is on the verge of ending his 18-year spell at Chelsea, swapping the Premier League for La Liga, whereas the Blues embark on a brand new journey below Maresca.
For the reason that Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital possession arrived at Chelsea in 2022, the Blues have bid farewell to Callum Hudson-Odoi, Billy Gilmour, Ethan Ampadu, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mason Mount, Lewis Corridor and Ian Maatsen, with Gallagher anticipated to hitch that checklist quickly. Armando Broja and Trevoh Chalobah have each been made out there for switch.
The sale of those gamers has helped the membership spend rather a lot in current switch home windows and, maybe extra importantly, steered Chelsea away from breaching Revenue & Sustainability Guidelines because the sale of an academy product represents ‘pure revenue’ in a membership’s accounts.
Whereas Chelsea have been broadly criticised for his or her remedy of academy gamers below the brand new possession, Maresca insists the Premier League are guilty.
“However this isn’t Chelsea’s downside, these are the foundations,” he informed reporters. “All of the golf equipment at this second are compelled to promote gamers from the academy due to the foundations. It is all the Premier League golf equipment’ downside.
“It is a disgrace as a result of in Italy, now we have [Francesco] Totti with Roma, 20 years with the identical membership – one membership man. We love that in soccer, the followers need to see that. However with the foundations now it’s completely different than the previous.
“It’s not solely Chelsea spending cash on gamers. It is all the massive golf equipment to attempt to purchase gamers. A number of the golf equipment spend extra, some spend much less. My private opinion is it is a disgrace as a result of we wish to see a one membership man however the guidelines are completely different.”
When requested if guidelines want to alter to enhance the league, Maresca responded: “In the event that they need to shield academy gamers, then most likely sure.”