By David Owen
January 9 – Roman Abramovich pumped a further £33.8 million into Chelsea in the Premier League champions’ last financial year. The figure is included in the West London club’s accounts for the year to 30 June 2017 which have now arrived at Companies House.
The funds are provided by Chelsea FC’s parent company, the Abramovich-owned Fordstam Limited. Though Fordstam has the same 30 June year-end, its accounts generally do not appear until April. A note in Fordstam’s 2015-16 accounts puts amounts owed to related parties falling due after more than one year at over £1.05 billion. This is the balance of a loan repayable to an entity called Lindeza Worldwide Limited. Under the terms of this loan, 18 months’ notice must be given for it to be repaid.
As already reported, Chelsea posted a profit of more than £15 million for its title-winning season, thanks in no small part to the big-money transfer of the Brazilian Oscar to China.
The new Premier League TV deal ensured that broadcasting income rose from £142.9 million to £162.4 million. However, the unwonted absence of Champions League football in 2016-17 meant that the rate of growth was much slower than it might have been.
A reduced pay bill was another part of the big picture. Aggregate remuneration dipped to £219.7 million from £222.4 million, even though employee numbers rose above 800 and the number of players, managers and coaches climbed by 15.
Directors’ remuneration, though of marginal significance, doubled from £154,000 to £308,000.
A note towards the end of the new document suggests that 2017-18 may be another bumper year for transfer profits, with a full team of 11 players disposed of since the last year-end at a profit of £63 million. These presumably included Watford’s Nathaniel Chalobah and Dominic Solanke, now of Liverpool.
At the same time, Chelsea were said to have acquired six players since the year-end for an initial £212.5 million. Ross Barkley, recently signed from Everton, may now be added to that number.
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