Chelsea and French club Strasbourg completed 12 transfer deals during the summer 2025 window. Both clubs are owned by the BlueCo consortium, which acquired Strasbourg in June 2023. This multi-club ownership model has led to increased player movement between the two sides.
Notable transfers included Mathis Amougou and Ben Chilwell moving permanently to Strasbourg from Chelsea. Goalkeeper Mike Penders and midfielder Kendry Paez joined Strasbourg on loan from Chelsea. Defender Mamadou Sarr completed a permanent transfer to Chelsea from Strasbourg, then immediately returned to the French club on loan.
Football governing bodies are monitoring such arrangements. The Premier League assesses transfers within multi-club groups to ensure "fair market value". FIFA rules limit international loans to six players per club per season, with a maximum of three to any single club. UEFA prohibits transfers between clubs with the same ownership if they compete in the same European competition. FIFA is also preparing new rules to ban loans between clubs under common ownership.
