Chelsea's back-up option if Red Bull shirt sponsor deal doesn't happen

"According to journalist Simon Phillips, Red Bull could still end up sponsoring Chelsea, though that could come down to whether the Blues qualify for the Champions League or not. If that falls through, Chelsea also seem to have a contingency plan in place. Phillips has revealed on Si Phillips Talks Chelsea that the club are still in talks with some major airlines and could turn to one of them if a Red Bull deal does not happen."

"IFS remaining as the Blues' front-of-shirt sponsor beyond this season has not been ruled out, but their preference does appear to be Red Bull, Oracle, a potential joint venture with the two or an airline. In November, The Chelsea Chronicle was told that Chelsea were close to announcing a deal with Oracle, but for whatever reason, that fell through in the end."

"Not having a long-term front-of-shirt sponsor is not helping the Club World Cup winners' finances. They recently posted a pre-tax loss of £355m, and you fear that they could lose more money in the future, with there being no guarantee that the club will qualify for next season's Champions League."

Chelsea partnered with AI company IFS for front-of-shirt sponsorship through the current season. The club prefers Red Bull as a long-term sponsor, though Champions League qualification may influence this decision. If Red Bull negotiations fail, Chelsea has contingency plans including potential deals with major airlines like Turkish Airlines. An Oracle deal previously fell through in November. IFS could remain beyond this season, but appears unlikely. The lack of a long-term sponsorship agreement impacts club finances, particularly following a £355m pre-tax loss. Chelsea currently sits sixth in the Premier League with uncertain Champions League prospects.

Read at The Chelsea Chronicle