The government has made significant tweaks to the special license Chelsea are currently operating under to avoid the club entering administration after Roman Abramovich was sanctioned.
Last week, the Russian oligarch had his assets frozen due to links with Vladimir Putin – an association he has always denied – and on Saturday he was disqualified as a director of Chelsea by the Premier League.
Abramovich has been looking to sell the club but that is now on hold, and there are significant question marks over the short-term – and long-term – implications for the west London club.
There had even been suggestions the club may face difficulties finishing the season without entering administration, but The Sun report that those fears have now been allayed.
After two days of negotiations between Chelsea officials and MPs, some revisions to the special license have been made which will allow the club access to around £110million of extra money.
Those funds – from television and prize money – had previously been frozen, but will now be unlocked to allow Chelsea to continue paying their £28million monthly wage bill as well as other expenses.
Chelsea were due to receive another £35m in TV money from their Premier League and European matches which they would not have been able to access under the previous terms of the special license.
In addition to that now being permitted, they will also receive prize money of around £39m if they retain their third place and as much as £36m if they retain their Champions League crown.
The £500,000 cap on matchday outlay has also been nearly doubled to £900,000, while the limit of £20,000 on away travel expenses will be increased if Chelsea overcome Lille.
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Source : metro
