sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have lifted the lid on their strategy to hand out lengthy contracts to new arrivals at Stamford Bridge.
Players have regularly been awarded deals into the 2030s under stewardship of the club, with Winstanley and Stewart integral parts of the recruitment team and the decisions to tie stars down for a longer period than their rivals.
Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson both signed new contracts this summer, extending their stay at Stamford Bridge until 2033, while the club have a total of 14 players registered on their books to and past 2030.
Speaking to in a joint interview, Winstanley explained the process behind the unusual contracts: "People always sit and think 'well that's what we've always done, so that's what we've always got to continue doing'. But without forward thinking and progression, everyone will stand still.
"So it's a clever concept the owners implemented in the beginning and what they believed in. Once we looked at it together in isolation, we were like 'yeah, you can definitely see how this can work'. And we believe in it."
There had been the suspicion that the Blues were trying to circumvent the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability rules by amortising their transfer fees over seven-plus years, as opposed to the traditional player contracts of four or five seasons.
That but the same length contracts continue to be handed out, with Winstanley adding: "Well, you're not getting any benefit from a PSR position on it any more and we've still continued with it.
"So if it was just for PSR, we'd have stopped doing it. That was never at the forefront of the owners' minds when we spoke to them about how we see it working, how we all see it working as a club."
Stewart echoed those same sentiments: "It's because the players, the talent and the value they have over the long term is really important to the clubs. "Really, it is the biggest nod towards the ability to identify talent.
"You've got to get that right if you're going to put players on these long contracts and then it's your ability to develop players and develop talent, and that's one of the key things that we talk about internally, is to make our players better, across all of our teams."
, Joao Felix, Pedro Neto, Moises Caicedo, , Filip Jorgensen, Renato Veiga, Benoit Badiashile, Robert Sanchez, Noni Madueke, Malo Gusto, Romeo Lavia and Wesley Fofana join Palmer and Jackon in being locked into deals that extend into the next decade.
Many have perceived Chelsea's approach to recruitment under the new regime as 'scattergun' and left boss Enzo Maresca with a bloated squad upon his arrival to the club this summer from .
The Italian boss has been forced to use an entirely different team in Premier League and matches and , entirely made up of 13 players who were deemed surplus to requirements.
You may also like
Ryanair, easyJet, Jet2, British Airways and TUI new flight routes from UK airports
India Rejects Trudeau's Allegations, Denies Links to Criminal Gangs in Canada
Moment man tells police three sinister words as he's arrested for trying to murder wife
Sharad Purnima 2024 Date: Is it on October 16 or 17? Check Puja Vidhi, rituals, and more
Who is Christopher Rufo? Anti-plagiariser who made Havard dean resign, and is now going after Kamala Harris
Your Ultimate Guide to the Autumn Internationals - On sale now!
Novak Djokovic confirms career switch plans as Serb makes Sinner and Alcaraz admission
Ex-Tory MP Steve Baker says political return off the table as he says 'people hate my guts'
Al Pacino's ex Noor Alfallah says 'I wish' as she shares one regret after giving birth
Cameron Norrie makes heartfelt injury confession as he gears up for return
Delicious Chinese takeaway secret recipe for perfect chicken chow mein dish
Chelsea chiefs explain why they wanted to replace Mauricio Pochettino with Enzo Maresca
Hezbollah deputy chief tells Israelis the only solution to the current war is ceasefire
Which Married At First Sight UK couples are still together after whirlwind relationships?
Bhopal Power Cut Plan October 15: Power To Remain Disrupted In Amrawad Khurd, Girnar Colony, Tilak Nagar & More; Check Full List Here
Foreo launches new 2-in-1 scalp massager for stronger, thicker hair - and it's on sale
Women Inter-Department Nationals: SAI, UBI, RSPB win on day two
Air India flight from Delhi to Chicago diverted to Canada following bomb threat
England adopt unusual slip position with Joe Root to tackle dead Multan pitch
RG Kar: SC gives three weeks time to NTF to give recommendations on doctors' safety