Premier League chief executive Richard Masters will reserve judgement on Chelsea's spending until seeing what they do in subsequent transfer windows.
After a busy first window following the May 2022 takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, Chelsea went even further in January, signing eight players for an approximate total of £300million, including a Premier League record £106.8m on Enzo Fernandez from Benfica.
Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, Masters was asked about the Blues' spending, and was not in the mood to pass judgement.
"I'm not here to defend [them]," he said. "The new owners have owned the club for less than a year, they've had two transfer windows, and you need to judge the football club after three or four years.
"They might have bought, they would argue probably... a different transfer policy to the previous regime, buying younger players and [signing them to] longer contracts at low wages. And obviously, within our rules, it's a test that is over a 12-month period.
"So the question is whether they're going to sell some of their existing players in the next window. And I don't know the answer to that question. I'm not here to defend them, but you have to judge these things over a period of time."
Masters also spoke about the UK government's recent white paper on reforming football governance, outlining a plan to introduce an independent regulator for clubs in the English football pyramid.
"It is a significant moment for English football, things are going to change," Masters said. "The review process has concluded, the white paper is finally out and we're all getting the opportunity to reflect upon it.
"I think from the Premier League's perspective, we've always accepted that there needs to be stronger regulations, more independently enforced, and the white paper offers to deliver that... we would like to protect everything that's great about English football, including the Premier League, but sit on the top and make sure that the system doesn't run too hot.
"It's dealing with football [through] sustainability, ownership, and fan interests. And who can argue with those three objectives?
"Our concerns would be clear; it's an independent regulator with a lowercase i, it reports to politicians, and can be instructed by politicians. And so we would be worried that over time, football might become the ultimate political football.
"... I think the league should continue to write its own rules and continue to govern itself, and the regulator hopefully will only step in as and when necessary, when regulation is seen not to be performing, or the clubs are financially overheating to the point where the regulator needs to step in."
Masters was also asked about recent comments from Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira on the lack of black coaches in the Premier League.
"There's always more that we can do... Patrick is right," Masters said. "If you look at the diversity on the pitch, and it's not just in the Premier League, it's throughout the academy system, it is incredibly diverse, but that isn't translating into opportunities for people from ethnic backgrounds, not just in coaching but in other employment pathways as well.
"We have a number of schemes in place at the moment. Player-to-coach pathways, player-to-executive pathways. We launched this last year. We have seven ex-Premier League players and WSL players who are participating in that.
"So Patrick is accurate to say there's an issue and to raise the point and to put pressure on football authorities to do more, and we'll always look at that."
Al-Khaleej 0-1 Al-Nassr: Ronaldo misfires on return as Laporte nets winner
Cristiano Ronaldo returned from suspension but failed to find the net as Al-Nassr secured a 1-0 win over Al-Khaleej on Saturday, with Aymeric Laporte coming up with the decisive goal.
Ronaldo was in action for the first time since being sent off for an elbow in a 2-1 Saudi Super Cup loss to Al-Hilal earlier this month, with his initial two-match ban being reduced to one on appeal.
He missed three good chances as Al-Nassr threatened to fall further behind runaway Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Hilal, but former Manchester City defender Laporte spared his blushes by nodding Marcelo Brozovic's deep free-kick into the bottom-left corner with 68 minutes gone.
Al-Nassr remain nine points adrift of Al-Hilal at the summit in spite of their win, with Jorge Jesus' team unbeaten through 28 games this season as they close in on a record-extending 18th title.
Data Debrief: Ronaldo misfires on return
Ronaldo was presented with the Saudi Pro League's Player of the Month award for March ahead of kick-off, having scored four goals in three league appearances last month.
However, his sights were off on Saturday as he failed to net despite three of the visitors' four big chances, as defined by Opta, falling his way. He led all players on the pitch for expected goals (1.27 xG), shots (five), shots on target (three) and touches in the area (nine) without reward.
Huddersfield all but relegated from Championship while League Two play-off spots decided
Huddersfield Town saw their relegation from the Championship all but confirmed after a 1-1 draw with fellow strugglers Birmingham City on Saturday.
The Terriers avoided a defeat that would have seen them relegated on Saturday, but even a win on the final day over promotion hopefuls Ipswich Town will not be enough unless they overcome a huge goal difference of 15 goals with Plymouth Argyle.
Birmingham remain in the other relegation place and now must beat Norwich City to stand a chance of staying up with Sheffield Wednesday, Plymouth and Blackburn Rovers also still in danger.
At the other end of the table, the Canaries dropped points in a 2-2 draw with Swansea City, leaving the door open for Hull City, who face Ipswich Town later today.
Fulham 1-1 Crystal Palace: Schlupp strikes late to give visitors deserved point
Substitute Jeffrey Schlupp scored a thunderous late equaliser to give Crystal Palace a point as they battled back to draw 1-1 with Fulham in a London derby at Craven Cottage.
Schlupp equalised with just three minutes remaining, firing a long-range strike into the roof of the net to extend Palace’s unbeaten run to four Premier League games.
Rodrigo Muniz had given Fulham the lead early in the second half, the striker converting Timothy Castagne’s cross to break the deadlock after visitors Palace had controlled the first half.
Fulham and Palace sit 13th and 14th respectively in Premier League table, with just three points separating them.
Palace started on the front foot and Michael Olise passed up the first chance of the game after Adam Wharton’s defence-splitting pass found the forward inside the penalty area.
Frustratingly for Oliver Glasner’s visitors, they were unable to test Bernd Leno in the Fulham goal early on despite making a strong start to the game.
In-form striker Jean-Philippe Mateta swung at Daniel Munoz’s near-post cross but saw his effort fly over the crossbar.
Chris Richards then leapt highest from Olise’s in-swinging free kick delivery, but the defender could not direct his header on target from close range.
Fulham remained pinned back in their own half, but the hosts were not giving up any clear-cut chances, with Wharton and Olise both trying their luck from 20 yards out.
The Cottagers managed to apply brief pressure to the Palace backline late in the first half and Dean Henderson had to be alert to keep out Muniz’s shot.
Fulham improved after the break and Muniz opened the scoring in the 52nd minute. After winning possession, the hosts quickly broke forward and Muniz headed in Castagne’s delightful delivery.
Bobby De Cordova-Reid lacked the required composure to double Fulham’s lead after a swift counter-attack found the forward free at the back post.
As Palace sought a way back into the game at the other end, substitute Odsonne Edouard nearly made an immediate impact, but Leno got down low to keep out his strike.
However, the visitors were not to be denied and it was fellow sub Schlupp who smashed in the equaliser courtesy of a fierce strike that left Leno rooted to the spot, with Wharton getting the assist.
Muniz back on track
While the late goal came as a blow, Marco Silva’s side continued their recent good form against Palace with this draw, extending their unbeaten run against their London rivals to five league games.
It was a frustrating first half for Fulham as they struggled to get out of their own half until the final moments and Henderson was largely a spectator before Muniz’s shot tested him.
Muniz had struggled to get into the game but it was he who grabbed the game’s first goal in the second half, heading in Castagne’s cross.
It got Muniz back on the scoresheet for the first time since netting against Sheffield United last month.
However, Silva’s side could not hold onto the three points despite a disciplined defensive performance.
It was also a good day for Alex Iwobi, who made his 250th Premier League appearance, becoming only the fourth Nigerian to do so.
Palace momentum continues
The Eagles saw their three-game winning streak come to an end in West London but grabbed a morale-boosting late point to maintain their momentum.
Schlupp’s strike was the quality moment they required to break down Fulham’s well-drilled defence.
Glasner’s team were the better of the two sides in the first half, with Wharton impressing in the middle of the park and Olise the most likely to be at the heart of any Palace threat.
Mateta had less of an impact, though, and the Eagles only managed one shot on target in the first half.
Not making the most of a positive opening period proved costly when they fell behind and they looked to be heading for defeat before Schlupp spectacularly salvaged a point.
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