Chelsea owner Todd Boehly thought he beat the system - now he faces 8 years of problems

He arrived, splashed out more than £1billion on transfers, and thought he'd devised a shrewd plan to avoid PSR regulations along the way. Now, the transfer chaos that signified the start of Todd Boehly's tenure at Chelsea is set to blow right up in his face.

The club's initial plan under the American, aside from simply signing any player with a favourable YouTube clip and a pulse, was simple. Spend big, offer inflated wages, and negotiate lengthy contracts to stars. The latter ploy was designed to spread transfer costs for Financial Fair Play purposes, effectively reducing the annual economic impact.

Of course, such a strategy is idealistic nonsense. Securing Nicolas Jackson's services until 2033 is all well and good if he's going to be consecutively prolific for the next eight years. Newsflash, Chelsea are currently struggling to sell Nicolas Jackson.

He isn't the only star surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge right now, all while earning weekly wages in the region of £100,000. Raheem Sterling is also unwanted, seemingly by his own club and others, more than £300,000 a week for twiddling his thumbs.

At 30, he can keep his feet up for another two years if he wishes. On a measly 190k by comparison, Christopher Nkunku can stay in his armchair two years longer than Sterling, with his six-year deal expiring in 2029.

Being ahead of the game is perceived to be positive in sport, except when you've forgotten to apply a moment's thinking to potential long-term ramifications. Sure enough, the policy is in danger of spectacularly backfiring this week.

Chelsea fans who still bother to apply logic to how their club is run could be forgiven for wondering why the Xavi Simons saga is dragging on. Indeed, it feels like Oasis had still not reformed when the club agreed personal terms with the star, and yet, a transfer has not materialised with Tottenham now bidding to hijack the deal.

The answer, inadvertently, lies within Boehly's vision, or lack thereof. Chelsea's spending has seemingly stalled until they get more big-name players out the door. Suddenly, clubs that seek loan deals are being asked to pay big fees, and Chelsea outcasts on inflated wages are being required to drop them dramatically.

There is almost poetic justice in Boehly's bid to spend his way through football, now stalling his manager. Being trumped by Tottenham for Simons without getting Sterling and co out the door may finally revamp the club's long-term thought process.

Of course, by then, it could be too late. Many more Chelsea players, some actively involved, others confined to bit-part roles, remain attached to long-term deals. The club had best get used to their current issues; they've got eight more years of them.