Chelsea could fund the signing of a new midfielder in the January transfer window with the latest the compensation package paid by UEFA.
Xabi Alonso, Manager of Chelsea, reacts after a goal was disallowed during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Fulham and Chelsea FC at Craven Cottage on August 24, 2026 in London, England
Xabi Alonso during Chelsea's clash against Fulham(Image: Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
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This week, Chelsea are set to pocket a share of the UEFA Club Benefits Programme compensation package worth €31.5m (£27m) for releasing its players to feature in the 2024/25 edition of the Nations League.
The initiative, which rewards teams for their players' participation in the governing body's international competitions, will distribute the cash pool among 611 clubs across all member associations. The Club Benefits Programme set a rate of €3,845 (£3,296) per eligible appearance in an official matchday squad of the Nations League and European Qualifier fixtures.
RB Leipzig will receive more than any other club, banking about €353,000 (£302,600) for allowing 16 of its players to represent their countries. The payments will be taken from the €104m (£89.2m) pool of cash set aside by UEFA for the 2024/25 and 2026/27 editions of the Nations League and the Euro 2028 qualifying campaign.
The governing body has also reserved €140m (£120m) for the tournament itself, which will be co-hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland, bringing the total distribution to €244m (£209m). At Euro 2028, though, UEFA will instead calculate compensation per player/per day spent on international duty.
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In an official statement on the UEFA website, president Aleksander Čeferin said: "The Club Support Programme acknowledges the essential contribution that clubs add to the success of national team football.
"Through this Programme, we distribute a share of UEFA EURO and UEFA Nations League revenue to clubs across Europe, professional and amateur alike, in recognition of their role in developing players and releasing them for national team duty.
"When football thrives, everybody benefits."
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, chairman of European Football Clubs, said: "The Club Benefits Programme is a very important part of the UEFA-EFC strategic partnership. Its scale and impact are clear, with more than 600 clubs of all sizes benefiting from this first payment.
"It recognises the essential contribution clubs make to the international game by developing players and making them available for their national teams.
"We are very pleased to continue strengthening this vital link between club and national team football."
It's understood that further payments will be made upon completion of the relevant competitions. Chelsea are only set to stash in the region of six figures, but the payment could go a long way in the January transfer window.
In the summer, the Blues sold Enzo Fernandez to Manchester City for a joint British record fee on deadline day without signing a replacement. Chelsea worked hard to secure the signature of Lamine Camara from Monaco, but a deal collapsed at the eleventh hour, leaving Xabi Alonso short on options in the middle of the park.
With Moises Caicedo nursing a knock, the Blues manager has often been forced to play Malo Gusto in midfield. Desperate to keep the likes of Reece James and Romeo Lavia fit, Alonso has even resorted to throwing two 16-year-old academy prospects – Reggie Watson and Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli – in the deep end...