Newcastle United lost out to Chelsea in the race to sign Joao Pedro and Enzo Maresca did not appear too concerned about the Blues having to raise funds to ensure the Brazil international can play in the Champions League
Joao Pedro
Joao Pedro
Enzo Maresca has not 'paid attention' to Chelsea's punishment from UEFA - even if the Blues have work to do to ensure that signings such as Joao Pedro can play in the Champions League.
Chelsea have been fined £27m by UEFA for breaching the European governing body's football earnings rule and squad cost rule in 2024.
Although Chelsea managed to comply with the Premier League's PSR regulations, in 2023-24, the sale of the club's women's team to a parent company for £200m cannot be included in submitted accounts to UEFA.
Chelsea, as a result, have been hit with the largest fine UEFA have ever handed out to a club and the Blues face the threat of having to pay a further £51.8m if they do not comply with the rules in the next four years.
UEFA's Club Financial Control Body (CFCB) have also made it clear that Chelsea 'may not register any new player on its List A to UEFA club competitions unless the List A transfer balance is positive'.
Given that Chelsea have already spent more than £200m this summer on signings such as Pedro and Liam Delap, who Newcastle United were also in for, the Blues clearly have work to do to balance the books. However, Maresca did not appear unduly concerned.
"I already struggle to do my job," he told reporters. "Imagine if I also tried to do a different job? They are things that I don't pay attention to.
"I just pay attention to how to work day by day with the players. How can I improve them? How can I improve the team and try to win as much as we can?"
Chelsea certainly have plenty of options to raise funds. There are currently question marks surrounding the futures of Noni Madueke, Christopher Nkunku and, even, Trevoh Chalobah while Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Djordje Petrovic, Axel Disasi and Renato Veiga were all left out of the Blues' Club World Cup squad.
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