It’s no big surprise when you look at the insane spending on the transfer market, yet it’s shocking that it’s possible to run such a big club, with so many fans, in the world’s biggest league so badly.
Premier League club Chelsea FC had a large deficit for the year 2024/2025.
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So big, in fact, that it’s the biggest deficit ever in a financial year for a Premier League club. The BBC breaks it all down and reports that Chelsea have thrown themselves on the mill with huge agent payments.
Premier League clubs paid £460 million to agents over the past year – a 13 percent increase compared to the previous twelve months.
This covers payments made by clubs to agents registered with the English Football Association, involving a player, coach or club – including transfers and contracts – in the period between February 2025 and February 2026.
Chelsea, who paid out £65.1 million, were the biggest spenders for the third year in a row.
On Wednesday, the west London club announced the biggest pre-tax loss in Premier League history. The £262 million deficit for 2024-25 surpasses the £197.5 million loss that Manchester City had in 2011.
The Blues explain they are putting things right and carried out the highest number of player sales in Premier League history.
Chelsea have since sold players for almost £300 million to avoid the sanctions from Uefa.
After record £75 million payments to agents in 2023–24, the club has spent a total of £200 million over the last three assessment years.
Aston Villa were second on the list, with payments of £38.4 million, which was an increase of £13.4 million – the largest increase of any club.
This is despite the fact that the Villans spent a relatively modest £69 million on incoming transfers. Unai Emery’s team had high costs related to renegotiating player contracts and new professional registrations.
In third place was Manchester City with £37.4 million, although spending fell dramatically year-on-year – down by £14.8 million from £52.1 million.
Arsenal, Liverpool and Wolves also had significant increases in agent spending.
The Gunners’ payments increased by £9.4 million to £32.1 million. Liverpool’s increased by £13 million to £33.9 million. Wolves had an increase of £12.5 million to £26 million.
Sunderland’s unexpected promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs led to an increase in payments from just £2.2 million to £10.6 million.
Along with Manchester City, there were seven other clubs that reduced payments to agents.
Brentford, Fulham, Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and West Ham had moderate reductions.
Newcastle’s payments were reduced by £4.1 million to £20.3 million, while Leeds – despite promotion – cut their spending on agent expenses by £4.9 million to £14 million.
Spending in the Women’s Super League increased by 75 percent, or £1.6 million, to £3.8 million.
Chelsea were again the biggest spenders, with their £1.1 million making up over a quarter of the total.
Payments increased by 10 per cent in the Championship to £69.7 million, with Ipswich Town being the biggest spender with £11.7 million.
Agency spending in League One skyrocketed by 85 percent, impacted by the presence of Luton Town (£3.3 million), Cardiff City (£1.7 million) and Huddersfield Town (£1.5 million), which accounted for almost half of the £14 million total.
In League Two, the amount fell slightly by 5 percent to £2.6 million.
Chelsea deliver the biggest Premier League deficit in history
The pre-tax deficit of £262 million for 2024-25 surpasses the £197.5 million loss that Manchester City had in 2011. That comes even though Chelsea finished fourth in the Premier League in the 2024/2025 season and won the Conference League.
The size of the deficit thus surpasses Manchester United’s previous record of 200 billion euros.
The large deficit comes despite the fact that Chelsea have actually had revenues of 560 million euros, which is the second best in revenue ever for the London club.
In the current financial year, Chelsea expect to be able to present record revenues, as they have made a lot of money from winning the Club World Cup, just as there are many millions in revenue from Champions League participation.
Chelsea are currently in sixth place in the Premier League and were knocked out of the Champions League in the last eight.
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