Chelsea new owner wishlist as club searches for Abramovich replacement

2. Financial investment (Gabe Henderson)

On the back of the last slide, fans want their club to remain competitive. Chelsea has created a ruthless, cut-throat environment based on results over the last 19 years. Winning has become a part of the club’s DNA over that span as trophies have been delivered by almost every manager that has graced the touchline at Stamford Bridge. While English football has its Cinderella stories over the years, it’s impossible to maintain these incredibly high standards without significant financial investment from the owner(s).

The fact remains that as long as Thomas Tuchel stands on the touchline in a Chelsea track suit, the Blues will have some chance. However, it requires a massive amount of financial commitment to succeed long-term, regardless of the manager leading the charge. Antonio Conte is a great example of this thought as he demands funds every transfer window to improve his club’s squad. Tuchel may not be as nagging as the Italian with his wishes, but look no further than last summer to see what it will take to keep the German happy in the grand scheme of things.

The new owners will need to be ready to open their checkbooks as early as this summer as the Blues attempt to strengthen the already incredible squad they have at their disposal. Players like Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger look likely to leave and replacing them won’t be an easy task. Expensive additions like Jules Kounde await in the coming months, should the new owner be willing to fork over the funds following a takeover rumored to coming in at around £3 billion.

It goes without saying these investments won’t be temporary either. In the business world, you have to spend money to make money; football is the same way. It’s unlikely that the club gets an owner as willing to throw cash at a plethora of players as Abramovich has been for two decades, but even clubs like Liverpool pay for premium talent regularly. Chelsea cannot afford to be stingy or it risks falling into footballing mediocrity alongside its neighbor, Tottenham. The new owners don’t need to spend as much as the Blues have recently—especially given the rebuilding efforts of the last few seasons at Stamford Bridge—they just have to splash when necessary.