From the moment Roman Abramovich confirmed his intention to sell Chelsea last week, the only certainty in the club's immediate future became uncertainty. Nobody knows what comes next.
Abramovich has owned Chelsea for almost 19 years and the Blues have enjoyed unbridled on-pitch success in that time. Every possible trophy has been won. Countless world-class players have called Stamford Bridge home. And hundreds of memories that will last supporters a lifetime have been made.
Those can't be erased. Nor can Abramovich's role in transforming Chelsea into one of Europe's most powerful clubs – it's why the majority of fans continue to chant his name at matches.
Yet the 55-year-old's decision to sell Chelsea following Russia's horrific invasion of Ukraine is as seismic as it was dramatic. The club's future has been altered in a fashion nobody could have envisaged just a few short weeks ago.
For good and bad, Chelsea will almost certainly not get another owner like Abramovich, who was willing to cover club losses in excess of £1.5billion during his 19 years as owner. As a result, the Blues will likely need to operate far more shrewdly and make smarter off-pitch decisions.
Will that effect Thomas Tuchel and the first-team squad? Yes, in all likelihood. Although as stated above, there are far too many uncertainties at this stage to be completely sure.
What we do know is that – via Swiss Ramble – over the past decade, Chelsea have spent around £1.5bn on signings, which is more than any other Premier League club. However, the Blues' net spend in that period of £725m is below Manchester City and Manchester United thanks to their ability to generate income through sales.
That was never more evident than last summer when the Blues managed to raise around £100m in the transfer market through player departures. And predominantly, it was those who had been schooled in Chelsea's academy that raised big money.
Striker Tammy Abraham joined Roma for £35million. Fikayo Tomori departed for AC Milan for £25m. And Marc Guehi left for Crystal Palace in a deal worth up to £20m.
Chelsea used the money received from those deals to largely cover the cost of Romelu Lukaku's £97.5million arrival from Inter Milan. Whether that has proved wise business is a matter for debate at this stage.
What can't be argued, however, is the work done at Cobham to produce top-flight-ready players very much helped to insulate Chelsea from the realities of a deflated transfer market due to the Covid-19. Other clubs struggled to make money. The Blues did not.
Could history repeat itself this summer? Again, that is a question nobody has a hard answer to at this point given the uncertainty as to whom will own the club.
Yet what is clear is that once again Cobham can give Chelsea transfer market security, can provide solutions to a range of problems for Tuchel.
Yes, money can be raised if needed through sales of academy graduates once more, something that would be hugely unpopular among many supporters. Alternatively, Tuchel's squad could be regenerated via the incorporation of several of the club's homegrown stars. Abramovich's cash would not be required.
For instance, Chelsea have needed to find capable alternatives to Reece James and Ben Chilwell in the wing-back positions. Well, Dujon Sterling and Ian Maatsen have been hugely impressive on loan at Blackpool and Coventry City this season and very much fit the bill.
Need a centre-back with Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger potentially all departing at the end of their contracts? Well, Levi Colwill has stood out in Huddersfield Town's defence and is ready for Premier League football.
Conor Gallagher, meanwhile, has starred at Crystal Palace and is almost certainly going to be given a role under Tuchel next term. Perhaps Billy Gilmour can also step back into Tuchel's squad despite a tricky loan at Norwich City. Maybe Ethan Ampadu and Tino Anjorin too.
Then there is Armando Broja, one of the standout strikers in the Premier League this season. The 20-year-old has scored nine goals across all competitions and his development has accelerated at a huge pace. He deserves a chance.
It would be disingenuous to claim every one of the academy graduates named above will be brought into the Chelsea squad. Every player's path is different and opportunities can't be afforded to all.
Yet among so much uncertainty, Chelsea can at least be secure in the knowledge that the effort and money poured into Cobham by Abramovich over the years will at least offer a level of protection after he is gone.
