Prospective Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is expected to make a return to London this week and hold talks with chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia over their future at the club, according to the Telegraph. It comes after the American had already made one trip to Stamford Bridge in the past week, signing papers to buy the club while also attending the Premier League draw against Wolves.
The Blues, disappointingly, succumbed to a late equaliser at the hands of Conor Coady, though the prospective owner was seen seemingly enjoying his afternoon anyhow. Club captain Cesar Azpilicueta sent the bidder a message on Sky Sports shortly after the draw: "Our focus has been on the pitch. Of course we are disappointed not to give the first win for him. It is out of our hands so not worth wasting energy on that."
Boehly was pictured speaking with Buck at half time during the game as the takeover nears the end, but before then the team have an FA Cup final against Liverpool this weekend, while the bid still needs to be approved by the UK Government before it can go through. It would put an end to a nearly three month ownership saga, following sanctions from the government on owner Roman Abramovich.
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In light of those sanctions, Chelsea were forced to operate under a special sporting licence which expires at the end of this month, emphasising the importance of getting a takeover done, with the culture secretary claiming the club are on “borrowed time”. After a long bidding process, Raine bank, the firm in charge of overseeing everything, chose Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital’s bid as the preferred option.
With the head of the consortium making trips to the capital to get a deal over the line, thoughts over the future of the club will shift to strategy, one element of which is the hierarchy. With the reports over talks with Buck and Granovskaia, it shows how the consortium plans to continue.
Buck has been chairman at the club since 2004, with claims that he helped Abramovich choose Chelsea as the club he should takeover in 2003. As for Granovskaia, she is seen as an important part of recent success.
Initially part of the board of directors, the 47-year-old was then put in charge of player transfers and contracts, winning Best Club Director in European football last year following triumph in the Champions League. Given how involved both parties have been in Chelsea’s rise under the previous regime, it comes as little surprise that the prospective owner should hold talks to keep them at the club.
