Raheem Sterling’s move to Arsenal came after he and droves of other first-teamers were forced into the now-infamous ‘bomb squad’, but that option may not be available to Chelsea for much longer.
Sterling was the most high-profile Chelsea player to be ostracised in the hopes that it would force them to move on and bring in much needed revenue and wage savings.
But 13 players in total were made to train with the reserves by Enzo Maresca over a period in the summer, including Romelu Lukaku, Trevor Chalobah, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Armando Broja.
All of those players have now moved away on loan or, in Lukaku’s case, permanently.
And while it attracted huge scrutiny from the media and supporters alike, the bomb squad treatment did prove an effective way of giving Chelsea more PSR wriggle room – at least in the short term.
Deivid Washington, Harvey Vale, Alex Matos and – most notably – £200,000-a-week left-back Ben Chilwell are the only players from the 13-man blacklist to still be on the payroll for 2024-25.
The bombastic recruitment strategy under Todd Boehly and Eghbali, who are at loggerheads in the boardroom, means the club feel this kind of draconian treatment is a necessity to relieve financial strain.
Under the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules, Chelsea are allowed to lose no more than £105m over a rolling three-year period, excluding costs such as infrastructure and youth development.
The margins are very tight for Chelsea after spending more than £1.5bn on new signings under the Clearlake-led regime, so saving the bulk of Sterling’s £325,000-a-week salary for the season is significant.
But the method that the club used to persuade the 29-year-old attacker to accept a move to Arsenal has now been challenged at the very highest level.
Ex-Chelsea star successfully FIFA transfer system
Lassana Diarra played 31 times for Chelsea between 2005 and 2007, winning both the League Cup and FA Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.
But his legacy in West London and beyond will now be defined by the European Court of Justice case against FIFA that has just won.
In a case which is being described as just as significant as the 1995 Bosman ruling, Diarra’s team have succeeded in the case relating to his exit under a cloud from Lokomotiv Moscow over a decade ago.
They argued FIFA’s rule, which holds the player and the club signing him jointly liable for compensation to his previous club when the player terminates his contract without ‘just cause’, is unlawful.
The ruling is expected to greatly increase ‘player power’ and some experts argue it could change football’s ecosystem forever.
Stefan Borson, a lawyer and former adviser to Man City, has claimed that the ruling may mean that ‘bomb squad’ treatment may be grounds for a player to terminate his deal, specifically namechecking Chelsea in the process.
‘In English law, constructive dismissal requires a fundamental breach of the employment contract, such as violating the implied duty of trust and confidence.
‘Bomb squad treatment – where players are excluded from training without justification – could, in theory, meet this test.
‘However, FIFA’s Article 14(2) does not definitively address marginalisation as a form of abusive conduct, so players have still needed to navigate this grey area and have been hesitant to seek releases from contracts.
‘The Diarra case could trigger a shift in player transfers. Players in bomb squads, who previously feared retribution for claiming just cause, may now feel more empowered to terminate contracts.
‘The reduction in risks for new clubs could encourage more signings of players isolated by their current teams.
‘While Diarra doesn’t redefine abusive conduct, it opens the door for Bomb Squad players to challenge unfair treatment without a self imposed suspension.’
Sterling us under contract until 2027, meaning Chelsea will still owe him two years wages – approximately £34m – after this season is done.
If freezing him out is no longer an option, it would be a major blow to Chelsea and would force them to rethink their strategy in trying to get high-wage players off the books.
The ruling and its impact on Sterling, Chilwell and more
In essence, the ruling may mean that the way Chelsea have treated Sterling in order to try and oust him may – in future – be grounds for the player to terminate his deal and another club to sign him for free.
This would give Chelsea far less leverage in their attempting to rid themselves of the likes of Sterling and Chelsea, damaging their chances of complying with PSR.
They are by no means the only club who might be impacted by the seismic ruling, but their financial situation does mean that they will likely have more anxiety about the Diarra ruling than most.
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