Chelsea rivals seek cap on contract amortisation rules in today's EPL meeting

Chelsea are set for a tense Premier League shareholders meeting today, with their rivals set to push for a cap on contract amortisation rules, according to reports.

The Blues have spent £1bn since Todd Boehly arrived at the club, but have managed to adhere to Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by handing a number of their players long-term contracts of up to eight years to spread the cost across a longer period.

UEFA closed this loophole in June by introducing a five-year limit for the spread of transfer fees, but confirmed that long-term contracts that had already been signed would not be affected.

Top flight teams are keen for the Premier League to follow UEFA's lead and put their own five-year limit on contract amortisation, and will push for the change to be made at today's meeting, as reported by The Telegraph.

Their report claims some clubs are keen for the rule change, if voted through, to be backdated to the summer, which could spell trouble for Chelsea.

The Blues spent in excess of £400m over the summer, bringing in Moises Caicedo from Brighton for a British record £115m fee, while they also splashed the cash on the likes of Cole Palmer, Nicolas Jackson and Romeo Lavia.

All of these players have signed deals until 2030 or 2031, spreading the cost of the transfers across seven or eight years.

In Caicedo's case, it means his fee has been amortised at £14.4m-a-year across his eight-year contract, but Chelsea's rivals want this type of deal to no longer be possible.

Clubs are only permitted to lose £105m across a three-year period, which has been extended to four years due to Covid, under the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

Everton were found guilty of breaching these rules last month and were handed a