Chelsea "revealed a record profit and turnover in the club's latest published accounts," according to the PA. The club's return to the Champions League in '17-18 "contributed to the turnover growing" by 22.7% to £443.4M in the financial results for the year ending June 30, 2018. A record-high profit of £62M was also achieved, after a profit on player sales of £113M "and an increase in broadcast revenues" of £162.4M as a result of the "return to Europe's elite club competition." The accounts "do not include the severance pay for former coach Antonio Conte or his staff." Chelsea reported a £32M increase in commercial revenues following several partnership deals, including the kit deal with Nike worth a reported £60M ($75.6M) a year. The club said that there was an £8.4M ($10.6M) increase in matchday revenues, despite ticket prices being frozen at '11-12 levels (PA, 12/31). GOAL's Nizaar Kinsella reported the player sales were for last season and included the likes of Diego Costa to Atletico Madrid for £53M, Nemanja Matic to ManU for £40M, Nathan Ake to Bournemouth for £20M and Juan Cuadrado to Juventus for £17.3M. There were "17 further deals done out of the club, not including loans, leading to the figure to rise" to £113M. The "strong financial figures will be welcome news" to club Owner Roman Abramovich, "who has paused the development of the club's stadium, amid a geopolitical situation which has halted the renewal" of his U.K. investor visa. Chelsea sources insisted that Abramovich is committed to the club, but he is rumored to "have contracted the Raine Group to broker a sale" of around £2.5B, which would be a "global record sale for any sports club" (GOAL, 12/31).
