Chelsea FC, after a season without a primary sponsor, has finally secured a deal with DAMAC Properties to adorn their shirts for the remainder of the 2024-25 season. While the club announced the partnership with fanfare, financial experts are questioning the true value of the agreement. The deal, announced as a long-term global partnership making DAMAC the Official Property Development Partner and featuring on the front of Chelsea shirts, follows the expiration of a lucrative £40 million-a-year contract with Infinite Athlete. Initially aiming for a £50 million deal, Chelsea reportedly had to lower their asking price as the season progressed, ultimately settling for what many believe is a considerably smaller sum from DAMAC. Financial expert Stefan Borson, in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, estimates the front-of-shirt deal is worth less than £1 million, effectively labeling it a 'freebie' for DAMAC. Borson highlights that DAMAC misses out on numerous bonuses usually associated with such a sponsorship, including extensive stadium marketing, global collateral rights, VIP experiences, and replica shirt inclusion – components which usually account for the substantial cost of front-of-shirt sponsorships. "You are getting a whole load of inventory at the stadium in terms of marketing collateral. You are getting the rights to be the principal partner on all of your global collateral as a marketing collateral as the partner," Borson explains. "You are getting probably one or two boxes. You are getting all sorts of sponsor rights to meet players and all of this sort of stuff." He emphasizes that the usual sponsorship package encompasses a multitude of rights and activation possibilities, making the DAMAC deal comparatively inexpensive, possibly even integrated into their existing property partnership agreement. Despite the seemingly modest financial gain for Chelsea, the deal offers DAMAC significant branding opportunities. Their logo was proudly displayed on Chelsea's shirts during their recent Conference League semi-final victory against Djurgarden. The partnership also includes a joint venture: Chelsea Residences by DAMAC, a luxury property development in Dubai, showcasing the synergy between the two brands. The announcement of the DAMAC partnership comes alongside other Chelsea news, including the club's apparent lead in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Gittens. While the financial specifics of the DAMAC deal remain somewhat opaque, its impact on Chelsea's brand and DAMAC's marketing reach is undeniable. The question remains: Was it a shrewd move by Chelsea, or a missed opportunity to capitalize on their global appeal?