The international break has come at a frustrating time for Chelsea, who had been showing some form under Graham Potter before dropping points against Everton on Saturday.
The Blues had won back-to-back Premier League games against Leeds and Leicester, while overturning a first-leg deficit to eliminate Borussia Dortmund from the Champions League. However, the winning run ended when Ellis Simms delivered a late equaliser for Everton at Stamford Bridge.
As a number of squad members link up with their international teams, off-field discussions have taken centre-stage. Here is the latest from around West London as Chelsea enter a lengthy break before returning to action in April.
Potter compensation revealed
Brighton have confirmed Chelsea paid £21.5million to coax Graham Potter away from the Amex Stadium in September. Potter joined the Blues just weeks into the current season after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.
The sum is the highest ever paid for a manager in the history of the Premier League. Only one club has ever forked over more for a rival's manager - Bayern Munich paid £22m when Julian Nagelsmann made the move from RB Leipzig.
“On 18 September 2022 the club was delighted to appoint Roberto de Zerbi as its new Head Coach following the loss of Graham Potter and his team to Chelsea a few days earlier in a deal that saw the club receive a sum of £21.5m," a financial statement from the Seagulls read.
Ted Lasso controversy
Chelsea fans have hit out at Todd Boehly after a supporters' banner was edited for an episode of TV show 'Ted Lasso'. The unedited banner in question pays tribute to the late former Blues coach Ray Wilkins.
Did Chelsea make a mistake? Have your say in the comments section
The edited version on the show reads 'They Don't Make Them Like Roy Anymore', a reference to character Roy Kent. Chelsea's supporters' trust has hit out at the change, as have a number of individual fans on social media.
"This is a banner paid for by supporters to commemorate a Chelsea legend: Ray Wilkins," a statement from the Chelsea Supporters' Trust read. "Many supporters have seen this edit to be disrespectful and we have expressed our disappointment to club officials. We expect that CFC will address this in due course."
Abramovich's plans detailed
Roman Abramovich attempted to buy Regent's Park to use as Chelsea's training ground, according to former Blues chairman Ken Bates. The plans were scuppered when the then-owner learned the park was owned by Queen Elizabeth II.
"Abramovich hired a helicopter for a trip around London. He saw the park and said: 'That looks like a good park. Let's buy that for the training ground.'," Bates told The Blueprint podcast.
"But he got told 'I don't think you will get that. That's Regent's Park and it's owned by the Queen.'"
Abramovich would later oversee Chelsea's move to their Cobham training base in 2007. Work on the HQ took around three years and cost in the region of £20m.
