How Marina Granovskaia exit rocks Chelsea's transfer plans

FT Desk

• Updated: 20 Jun 2022 16:25 BST
• 3 min read

The upheaval at Chelsea continues as director Marina Granovskaia prepares to leave the club after almost a decade.

In the past six months the Blues have seen owner Roman Abramovich sell the club to a consortium led by Todd Boehly, after operations at Stamford Bridge were severely restricted by sanctions imposed on the businessman due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Chelsea have already confirmed that chairman Bruce Buck is stepping down from his post, and he looks set to be followed by Granavskaia.

Granovskaia arrived at Stamford Bridge in 2013 and since then has led much of the daily administration around the Premier League side.

She is also heavily involved in transfer policy, and her exit, as reported in the Telegraph, threatens to complicate the Blues' plans to strengthen in the summer window.

Having spent much of 2022 to date under restrictions, Chelsea can now look to enter the market, with the defence a top priority for manager Thomas Tuchel.

Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen have both left since the end of the 2021-22 season, leaving the Blues threadbare in the middle, while there are also ongoing negotiations to send Romelu Lukaku back to Inter following a disappointing season at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea have a host of players whose contracts expire next year or in 2024, and they need to significantly strengthen the team in order to catch up with Man City and Liverpool.

They are already playing catch-up, having signed no players and with City and Liverpool making big-money transfers such as Erling Haaland and Darwin Nunez.

Tuchel will hope any confusion caused by Granovskaia's departure will be solved as soon as possible to avoid his summer plans becoming derailed.

Who could take over from Granovskaia?

As of yet there is no confirmed replacement lined up for when the sporting director vacates her post.

Atletico Madrid transfer supremo Andrea Berta is one of the names that has been mentioned as a possible successor, having overseen the administration at the Liga club since 2015.

As for Buck, who steps down as chairman after 19 years in charge, it has been suggested that new owner Boehly may be interested in that role himself.

'Bruce has led Chelsea Football Club to the highest levels of international and domestic football, while also developing one of the most active social responsibility projects in sport,' Boehly said in a statement bidding farewell to the outgoing chairman, who will leave at the end of June.

"We thank Bruce for his service and his commitment to the Club"