Chelsea’s £250m Academy Sale Surge in Just Three Years
Armando Broja’s move to Burnley has pushed Chelsea’s earnings from academy player sales beyond £250 million in just three years. The transfer, worth up to £20m with add-ons, continues a trend accelerated under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, driven by Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
This summer alone, Chelsea have made £41.2m from academy products: Broja (£20m), defender Bashir Humphreys (£14.7m to Burnley), and Ishe Samuels-Smith (£6.5m to Strasbourg). More departures are possible, with Tyrique George and Trevoh Chalobah not ruled out, while Josh Acheampong has attracted interest from Bournemouth but is unlikely to leave without a major offer.
The £41.2m from academy players is part of the £225.5m total raised from player sales this summer. Last season, Cobham graduates contributed 5,471 league minutes:
Levi Colwill – 3,149
Reece James – 1,063
Trevoh Chalobah – 911
Tyrique George – 178
Josh Acheampong – 169
Shim Mheuka – 1
That total is higher than Manchester City, Tottenham, and Arsenal (the latter impacted by Bukayo Saka’s injury), but lower than Manchester United and Liverpool. Notably, Chelsea’s academy minutes have dropped year-on-year since Boehly’s arrival, despite initially leading the “big six” in this metric.
Fans have criticised the club for selling homegrown talent, especially after Conor Gallagher’s move to Atlético Madrid in 2024. Manager Enzo Maresca defended the approach, saying:
> “This is not Chelsea’s problem, these are the rules. All clubs are compelled to sell academy players because of the rules. It’s everyone’s problem.”
Academy sales since July 2022 – Big Six comparison:
1. Chelsea – £251.2m
2. Manchester City – £148.5m
3. Tottenham – £123m
4. Liverpool – £106m
5. Arsenal – £97m
6. Manchester United – £85.5m
Before 2022, Manchester City had led the way with lucrative academy exits, including Kelechi Iheanacho (£25m), Brahim Díaz (£15m), Douglas Luiz, Angus Gunn (£13.5m), and Jadon Sancho (£10m). Now, Chelsea have taken that model to new heights — though at the cost of fewer homegrown players in the first team.