There are much bigger concerns in regards to the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich but, from a purely footballing point of view, the impact on Chelsea will be severe.<\/p>\n
As much as Thomas Tuchel has tipped the club to continue competing with the elite, the simple fact of not having a Russian oligarch\u2019s money to play with will obviously change the landscape.<\/p>\n
Take Romelu Lukaku for a prime example.<\/p>\n
Since 2003, Chelsea have been able to suck it up if a big-money signing does not work. Such was the nature of their backing, the tap would never be turned off. So much so, that the long-running \u201ccurse of the Chelsea No.9\u201d became a joke.<\/p>\n
Fernando Torres, Andriy Shevcenko, Adrian Mutu, Radamel Falcao (a loan – but an expensive one) and Alvaro Morata have all been gobbled up by the Chelsea machine, and discarded with little consequence.<\/p>\n
Life under Abramovich meant the club could afford it. Who, frankly, cares when you consistently win trophies and can just go out and buy another shiny new toy the following summer?<\/p>\n
Now, whoever takes charge of the club from here might have the financial backing to keep Chelsea competitive towards the top of the game. They are extremely unlikely, however, to run it so care-free in that respect.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s where Lukaku comes in.<\/p>\n
The Belgian international\u2019s struggles since his major money move back to Stamford Bridge are well-documented. Had Lukaku signed for Liverpool or Arsenal, the money tied up in such investment could ruin the club for years.<\/p>\n
At Chelsea, or Abramovich\u2019s Chelsea, it doesn\u2019t matter. Kai Havertz, who cost over \u00a370m himself, can lead the line in big games while Lukaku – the most expensive player in the history of the game in cumulative transfer fees – deputises in various cup games.<\/p>\n
Quite how Lukaku\u2019s future plays out isn\u2019t clear. At 28, getting anything close to the money they\u2019ve paid for him will be very difficult for the new owners.<\/p>\n
Teammate Kepa Arrizabalga remains the most expensive goalkeeper of all-time and is firmly second-choice at Chelsea. Recouping the huge fee spent on him will be as tricky. The club have been ruthless in their pursuit of quick-fire upgrades, because they could afford to be.<\/p>\n
Going forward, that will not be the case. Perhaps that\u2019s healthier, both from a financial perspective and a moral one. There\u2019s nothing wrong with being run like Liverpool, after all.<\/p>\n
It is possible to match state-run clubs. It\u2019s just that Chelsea will now presumably have to find another way, such as Michael Edwards and Jurgen Klopp have managed at Anfield.<\/p>\n
Newcastle United offer a different challenge in the upper echelons of the Premier League which, in terms of morality, is equally as depressing.<\/p>\n
The model might have changed from the early Abramovich years as time went on but the great expenditure in the summer of 2020, while the rest of the world was gripped by a pandemic, proved that he was still willing to spend in a way most others can only dream about.<\/p>\n
Chelsea might still have a successful future. Given the level of interest in the club, it\u2019s hard to see them reverting to their midtable position, it\u2019s just that the glory days to the extent we\u2019ve known them since 2003 are over.<\/p>\n
To lament that would be crass, particularly given the noise surrounding Abramovich. For fans, this has been the most exciting period in the club\u2019s history but nothing lasts forever. Change isn\u2019t always for the worse.<\/p>\n
Where Chelsea go from here will be absolutely fascinating. Things will change.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are much bigger concerns in regards to the sanctions imposed on Roman Abramovich but, from a purely footballing point of view, the impact on Chelsea will be severe. As much as Thomas Tuchel has tipped the club to continue competing with the elite, the simple fact of not having a Russian oligarch\u2019s money to play with will obviously change the landscape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272],"class_list":["post-49105","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome"],"yoast_head":"\n