The trustees of Chelsea's charitable foundation are yet to accept Roman Abramovich 's offer to hand over stewardship and care of the club, according to multiple reports.
Abramovich put out a statement on the eve of the Carabao Cup final, suggesting a number of key decisions related to the running of the club would be out of the owner's hands.
Chelsea have repeatedly maintained the changes do not signify that the club is for sale, though no timeframe is understood to have been set when it comes to determining when Abramovich - who has been absent from a number of Blues games in recent years - will resume his responsibilities.
However, it has now emerged that the trustees have yet to accept the owner's offer, with suggestions that they could end up rejecting the request outright.
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According to The Mail, the trustees - who include Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes and Blues chairman Bruce Buck - have made a request for "further details" after being informed of Abramovich's request.
"During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the Club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities," the 55-year-old said in a statement published on Chelsea's website.
"I have always taken decisions with the Club's best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values
"That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea's charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.
"I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the Club, players, staff, and fans."
Chelsea's trustees have reportedly met with the club with the intention of determining how the changes proposed by Abramovich would play out day-to-day.
And, according to the Mail's report, a situation could arise where some of the trustees take up the owner's offer while others choose not to.
The Telegraph, meanwhile, reports that the trustees have "major unanswered questions" which will need resolving before a decision is agreed.
A number of pundits have spoken out after hearing Abramovich's statement, with Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher joining Micah Richards in having their say.
"I thought it was to be fair a cowardly approach to sort of throw a hospital pass to good people on the charitable and foundation board when it's quite clear he runs the club with Marina [Granovskaia, Chelsea director] and [technical and performance adviser] Petr Cech on the football side," Neville said on Sky Sports.
Carragher, meanwhile, made reference to the fact that Chelsea waited until the next day to issue a statement on the situation in Ukraine, in the light of Abramovich's name being mentioned by MP Chris Bryant amid Russia's invasion of its neighbour.
"I would feel by that Abramovich statement, the fact there was no mention at all of what was going on right now," Carragher said.
"The whole world can see what’s going on and I think it was a really poor statement to come out with."
