New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is reportedly planning for life without Roman Abramovich's right-hand ally Marina Granovskaia as a possible replacement has been identified ahead of her expected exit date.
Granovskaia, alongside the likes of Bruce Buck, have been long-serving directors at Stamford Bridge under the now-former owner who sold the club to Boehly and the Clearlake Capital consortium earlier this week. The Russian businesswoman, who is renown for leading the club's transfer negotiations, won the award for best sporting director at the most recent Golden Boy awards.
With her knowledge of the transfer market, it was expected that Boehly would offer her the chance to stay to oversee a period of transition from the old to the new regime but this doesn't seem to be the case, if the latest reports in Germany are to be believed. According to Sport Bild, Boehly is preparing for Granovskaia's August exit with the appointment of Atletico Madrid's Andrea Berta who is being eyed as her natural heir.
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Berta is held in high regard like Granovskaia as an elite sporting director and it seems he has now ahead of Monaco's Paul Mitchell in the race to join the Chelsea board with the former MK Dons defender drawing interest from Manchester United.
However, Monaco's resistance in wanting to keep Mitchell at bay has resulted in the Blues and the Red Devils looking elsewhere and the acquisition of a director who has been influential in the big signings of Joao Felix and others over the last few years will certainly be a statement of intent.
The acquisition of Berta may make it easier for Thomas Tuchel to get his hands on long-term defensive target Jose Gimenez, who alongside Sevilla's Jules Kounde, could make up the foundation of the new and revamped Chelsea backline, following the expected exodus of key stars this summer.
football.london understands that the claims of an August exit date may be a little premature, especially considering this would be occurring during the summer transfer window which would create more instability at the top of the club. Something Boehly would want to avoid approaching one of the biggest transfer windows in recent seasons for the Blues.
Regardless of what happens and when/if this proposed Granovskaia exit was to take place, it will be a decision that will upset Tuchel who had wanted to see the Russian be part an integral part of the fabric to this new regime.
He said in a press conference: "This will not be my choice. This is part of it. I can only tell you until now it was an excellent relationship that worked so well for me and also hopefully the two others to take these decisions and have updates in a small circle of communication and responsibility.
"Hopefully it will stay like this but I have no influence in it, no information if it will.”
Would you be happy or sad to see Marina Granovskaia leave the club in the immediate future? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!
