Frustrations are building, and it looks like Chelsea's clock is starting to run down. Upon the sanctioning of owner Roman Abramovich, Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea had put up a strong front in a show of solidarity for the fans. The sanctions had thrown a major spanner in the works for the Blues, and they only had their hope to cling on to. Now that two months have passed and there is still no clear decision on the new ownership, patience is beginning to run thin.
Results and performances are beginning to take a hit, players whose contracts are almost up are beginning to play their cards elsewhere. It's becoming a real black hole for Chelsea as situations begin to crumble out of their hands.
If you think Antonio Rudiger's departure has thrown a spanner in the works, wait until you hear what Chelsea could potentially be left with if there is no resolution before the summer break.
READ MORE: Chelsea's three £144m transfer solutions as Thomas Tuchel seeks Antonio Rudiger's replacement
Tuchel has made it known that Rudiger's exit results from Chelsea's inability to give him a new contract. It's not about the money anymore, it's simply the fact that Chelsea cannot do any business because of the restrictions. He said,
"We fought hard; I fought hard on a personal level. We made big offers to him, and the club tried everything. But for some weeks, we cannot fight anymore because we have the sanctions. We cannot adjust. We cannot continue, and so it is what it is."
How many more fights will we have to back out of due to the sanctions imposed on the club?
The Transfer Fight
As it stands, Chelsea will be losing Rudiger and Andreas Christensen. There is also the possibility that they will lose their captain Cesar Azplicueta leaving them with a relatively thin backline. Recalling Levi Colwill could bend fragments of the broken defence, but it will not seal the massive gap that will be left.
Jules Kounde has been a season-long target for the Blues. As Manchester United creep into the race to secure the Sevilla defender's signature, Chelsea could lose out on their Christensen replacement. Not only will they lose out to Man United with Kounde, but they could also lose Declan Rice too. Both Manchester clubs have made it clear that they would like to obtain the English midfielder, but it is clear that Rice wants the move to Chelsea.
As more time progresses, the lack of certainty increases. Would Chelsea be a club that players would wait on to see if the situation changes? If Rudiger couldn't do it, I do not have much faith that an outside onlooker would feel confident enough to do so.
The Contract Fight
Having already lost a battle with their German rock, there are still a number of contracts that will either need sorting or subsequently lead to the sale of said players. Marcos Alonso, Jorginho and N'Golo Kante all run out of contract in 2023. No matter the opinion of who fans believe should stay or go, Tuchel will be looking to find a resolution as quickly as possible.
Chelsea have lost the fight for Christensen and could also lose Azplicueta at the end of the summer. Surely they would like to avoid this same situation creeping up next season.
Jorginho's agent has been looking toward a future for his client in Italy. He calls a return to Italy a "dream" for Jorginho, which means that he could opt for a move next season if this summer is not an option.
With Kante's increasingly worrying injuries, it would be in Chelsea's best interest to cash in on the Frenchman whilst they can. To be fair, Tuchel and Marina Granovskaia could also opt in to extend his contract, too as there is never any harm in having a player of his calibre in the squad. Despite his rollercoaster of a season.
Alonso may not be a fan favourite, however, with the current ban on transfers, he may be granted a free pass next season as Chelsea is short on left-back options.
All in all, Chelsea could lose six players by the end of next season as a result of this takeover. Of course, that's the more dramatic conclusion. Each player could still sign within the next season. But with the way this season has panned out, I cannot be so certain.
The fight for Tuchel
Ultimately, Tuchel is a Chelsea treasure. It's extremely unlikely that we will see a situation where he abandons us in our darkest period, and he may not have a choice.
Don't get me wrong, this is a drastic possibility, but it is still possible. If we have a slim squad selection for him to play with next season, frustrations may build. Let's not forget that he has had a history of falling out with the board in his previous clubs. Our nosey rivals have been monitoring the situation over at Chelsea, ready to pounce at the opportunity to have Tuchel leading their squad.
It's a long list of drastic possibilities, but if you had asked me if Chelsea would be in this predicament two years ago, I would have laughed it off. Anything can happen. We need nw owners, and we need them quickly.
