Chelsea have reported the largest pre-tax loss in Premier League history after posting a deficit of £262m for the 2024–25 season.
The figure surpasses the previous record of £197.5m set by Manchester City in 2011.
This comes even though Chelsea generated £490.9m in revenue, which the club say is the second highest in their history. During the same season, the Blues enjoyed success on the pitch, winning the UEFA Conference League and the Club World Cup, while also finishing fourth in the league.
Despite the heavy losses, the club insist they are still operating within financial rules, including the Profit and Sustainability Regulations, which allow clubs to record losses of up to £105m over a three-year period under a different calculation method.
Since being taken over by BlueCo in 2022, Chelsea have spent over £1bn on new players, mainly targeting young talents on long-term deals.
The club were also fined £26.7m by UEFA earlier in the season for breaking squad cost rules, and they remain under financial monitoring.
Reports indicate that the losses include fines, such as a £10.75m Premier League penalty linked to payments made to agents during the era of former owner Roman Abramovich. The accounts also reflect financial write-offs involving players like Raheem Sterling, who has left the club, and Mykhailo Mudryk, who is under investigation following a failed drugs test.
Chelsea expect improved finances in their next report, with an additional £85m from their Club World Cup triumph and around £80m expected from Champions League television income.
The reported loss is lower than the £355m figure recently published in a UEFA financial report, which excluded certain transfers between clubs under shared ownership. Chelsea and French side Strasbourg are both owned by the same group.
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s women’s team also recorded a loss of £17.1m, despite bringing in £21.3m in revenue during the same period.
