Chelsea could be set for 13-player mass exodus due to Todd Boehly clause

Chelsea could be set for a flurry of exits in the summer window in the event they do not qualify for next season's Champions League because of a clause introduced by owner Todd Boehly.

The Blues reached the quarter-finals on Tuesday night after a 2-0 second leg win over Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea needed to overcome a 1-0 deficit after a Karim Adeyemi goal gave the Bundesliga leaders the advantage in the first leg and goals from Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz did the job.

After a miserable run of form it was a second successive win under Graham Potter, who was clearly delighted with the victory.

But it's emerged that the futures of many members in this stacked Chelsea squad are very much dependent on performance in the Champions League.

According to The Telegraph, some of the recent big-money additions could be placed in a precarious situation if they are not playing in European football's premier club competition next term.

A new report claims the majority of players signed in the last two transfer windows - a busy period for Chelsea, agreed to a clause whereby they would defer 25 per cent of their wage if not playing in the Champions League.

It will not apply to those signed under the previous regime, though new additions and those who have extended contracts since Boehly's arrival are part of the scheme.

Image: Alamy

Boehly, who has spent more than £600 million since taking the reins, is placing an emphasis on incentivised contracts through bonuses and variations as opposed to Roman Abramovich, who guaranteed players their wages in full irrespective of whether they qualified for the Champions League.

The idea is that the cut will protect Chelsea from any major financial difficulty if they are not playing in the top tournament.

A monumental summer clear-out is reportedly on the cards for Chelsea, who are currently 10th in the league and 11 points off the top four places.

Image: Alamy

Winning the Champions League for a third time could well be their best chance of playing in the group stages once again when next season rolls around.