Roman Abramovich’s trophy-laden era at the helm of Chelsea is coming to a close after the UK government forced the Russian oligarch put the club up for sale.
Sanctions imposed on the 55-year-old billionaire came as the UK’s punishment for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has also had a knock-on effect on the Stamford Bridge outfit.
Abramovich purchased the club in 2003, turning a downtrodden team into a force to be reckoned with in Europe and England over the next two decades.
Chelsea boast six Premier League titles, five of which arrived during the Russian businessman’s tenure, not to mention that both of their Champions League triumphs were the reward for his passion for the club.
However, the time has come for Abramovich to surrender the ownership reins to someone else, hoping they would run his beloved Blues with the same enthusiasm.
Four-way takeover race
Private equity billionaire Steve Pagliuca is currently the front-runner to acquire the ownership of Chelsea, having made in touch with ex-Walt Disney chairman Bob Iger to back his bid ahead of next’s deadline.
According to Sky News, Pagliuca is keen to outbid the three remaining candidates and win the race to become the new owner of the reigning Champions League holders.
The next deadline for final offers falls on Monday, April 11, with the consortium fronted by Sir Martin Broughton, the Ricketts family and Todd Boehly’s consortium also in the mix.
The level of any financial commitment from Iger remains a mystery, yet adding such a prominent figure to the picture would bolster Pagliuca’s case.
The Stamford Bridge faithful is awaiting the outcome of the auction with bated breath, knowing Chelsea’s recruitment campaign in the summer transfer window depends on it.
But it should not hinder Thomas Tuchel’s hopes of overhauling his squad following a lacklustre domestic season.
Who could leave?
Antonio Rudiger, Andreas Christensen and Cesar Azpilicueta are on the verge of waving goodbye to London after refusing to commit their futures to the blue jersey.
All three players will be out of contract at the end of the season, with a host of Europe’s elite clubs vying for their signatures in light of Chelsea’s inability to tie them down to new deals.
Timo Werner’s days at Stamford Bridge look numbered after another underwhelming season, highlighted by sub-par performances and injury setbacks.
Newcastle United have reportedly emerged as potential suitors for the ex-RB Leipzig forward, who could be accompanied through the exit door by another underperforming, overpaid star, Romelu Lukaku.
Chelsea smashed the club’s transfer record to re-sign the Belgian striker from Inter Milan in one of the most high-profile pieces of business last summer.
Little did the Blues hierarchy know the 28-year-old would flop so bad at his second spell in London, especially following his prolific two-year stint at Serie A.
Lukaku had a fallout with Tuchel earlier in the season and has never regained his place in the starting line-up since, opening the way for another big-money departure.
Various landing spots have been mooted for the robust goal-getter, including Inter, who are in the market for a new striker.
Who could join?
With the abovementioned defensive trio on their way out, Chelsea will have to intervene in the transfer market to fill the void at the back.
As mentioned above, much of the Chelsea transfer news now hinges on the new owners, yet there is no doubt the Blues will likely add at least a couple of new faces to their backline in the summer.
Tuchel is equally keen to revamp his attacking options in the upcoming transfer window despite overseeing his side’s eye-catching scoring average of 2.00 goals per Premier League match this season.
According to the shocking reports from the Metro, Real Madrid outcast Eden Hazard could complete a blockbuster return to London ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Belgian has faltered on the back of his £100m switch to La Liga. Los Merengues now contemplate the idea of letting him rejoin Chelsea on a season-long loan.
Another attacker could link up with Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic next season.
As per the Daily Mail, Chelsea are ready to battle fellow Premier League big guns Liverpool and Manchester United for the signature of wantaway Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry.
The ex-Liverpool misfit has flourished in the Bundesliga, but he has found his impact dwindle on the back of Julian Nagelsmann’s tactical changes.
Gnabry would be a perfect replacement for Werner, as he could operate on both wings equally well, while he is no stranger to covering a more central role.