Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admits he "does not know" how much his transfer budget will be this summer.
A consortium led by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly is set to complete a takeover of the English club later this month, ending Roman Abramovich's 19-year reign in charge. The move is subject to Premier League and UK government approval.
Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale just days before he was sanctioned by Boris Johnson and his colleagues. The oligarch is alleged to have ties to Vladimir Putin, something he denies. Putin is currently waging a violent war between Russia and Ukraine.
All Chelsea managers during the last 19 years have enjoyed huge transfer budgets due to Abramovich's huge wealth, believed to be in excess of £12billion. The Blues have spent more than £2bn on transfer fees since the Russian billionaire bought the club in 2003.
Boehly and Chelsea's other new owners - Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss - are all multi-billionaires, yet whether they'll be willing to invest the same amount of capital as Abramovich is another question. The deal to buy the club will cost in excess of £4bn.
According to The Telegraph, the new owners are willing to make "significant funds available for transfers" - yet Tuchel isn't getting ahead of himself. He cannot be sure he will have the finances available to compete with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool.
Will Chelsea compete for silverware next season? Let us know in the comments below!
"We feel like spectators and this is a passive role we don't like," the German - who has 25 months remaining on his existing contract - told reporters on Tuesday. "It feels a bit strange. Summer transfer budget? I don’t know how much it will be, as of today."
The good news for Chelsea fans is the team's position in the table. The Blues are third in the Premier League, five points ahead of Tottenham in fifth with just three games to go. Champions League qualification could be secured with victory against Leeds at Elland Road on Wednesday evening. That should boost Tuchel's transfer kitty.
Chelsea also boast one of the best squads in Europe. Talents include Mason Mount, Edouard Mendy, Romelu Lukaku, Mateo Kovacic, Reece James, Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, N'Golo Kante and Jorginho - the reigning European Footballer of the Year.
It's also important to note the club's prosperous academy, which continues to produce international footballers. The recent list includes Marc Guehi, Jamal Musiala, Tammy Abraham, Fikayo Tomori, Declan Rice, Nathan Ake and Ryan Bertrand.
And there are 24 players to return from loan spells in the next 13 months. The likes of Conor Gallagher, Ethan Ampadu, Armando Broja, Billy Gilmour, Emerson and Michy Batshuayi are all due back at Stamford Bridge this summer.
Boehly's consortium has committed to investing £1.75bn on Chelsea's stadium, academy, women's team - who lifted the Women's Super League title on Sunday - foundation and Kingsmeadow - a stadium the club owns in Kingston upon Thames.
