The current crisis at Chelsea is well-documented but the problems keep piling up for the Blues as they search for a new owner to guide them forwards and save them from all the chaos.
Following the freezing of all Chelsea’s assets by the UK Government, due to the alleged close ties between club owner Roman Abramovich with Russian president Vladimir Putin, the Londoners are desperately in search of a new owner which would save them from the punishment caused by Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine.
With the US Dollar being so strong at the moment, it is believed that an American owner will be on the cards to take over the leading role and prevent the club from falling into a downward spiral of negativity – with the Ricketts family currently studying the possibility of a takeover.
The Ricketts family are the current owners of the iconic baseball team Chicago Cubs, and they’ve reached an agreement to partner up with Billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin, in their attempt to buy Chelsea. However, along with the Ricketts family and Griffin, there are at least six other serious bidders to take Chelsea off of Abramovich’s hands.
During the Russian’s reign, Chelsea have won 21 major honours since he took over the club in 2003. These include five Premier League titles, two Champions Leagues (including last season), five FA Cups, three League Cup, two Europa Leagues, two Community Shields, one UEFA Super Cup and one FIFA Club World Cup (which was won in February).
But the future of Chelsea is a scary thought for their fans, especially when the bar has been set so high during Abramovich’s 19 years at the helm. This will inevitably bring a lot of pressure to a new owner coming into the club.
Doubts over Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Rudiger’s futures
Coach Thomas Tuchel has done a good job of calming his players down and letting them focus on their football, stating recently: ‘We have to live in this situation, it does not make sense to worry too much because we don’t have any influence at all.’
After taking over from an unpolished Frank Lampard, the 48-year-old has led Chelsea to Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup glory. The former success earned him the prize of The Best FIFA Football Coach for 2021. But despite his success, he has refused to say whether or not he would be remaining at the club when asked by the press, which has raised more questions.
Chelsea could also be set to lose their defensive pillar in Antonio Rudiger this summer. The centre back has been one of the world’s most consistent defenders of recent times, but was yet to agree terms on a new deal before the club’s sanctioning. As a result, the 29-year-old will be a free agent this summer with Bayern Munich and Manchester United among his suitors.
According to Football financial expert Wyn Grant: ‘If these things go on upon the end of the season, the implications are very serious, the hope for Chelsea fans would be to reach an agreement on a sale before the end of the season and have it approved by the government, otherwise it will get much more serious.’
The clock is ticking on the Blues to resolve their ongoing issues as we head into the international break.
By Carlos Almeida Moura
