Chelsea owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are facing growing dissatisfaction from players who are deeply concerned about the club’s direction.
Former Bayern Munich head coach Julian Naglesmann has emerged as The Blues’ preferred option to replace current interim head coach Frank Lampard at the helm for next season – though the club insists their hunt for a new boss remains an open process with no final decisions about their number 1 candidate.
Going forward, the club’s next manager faces the difficult task of convincing a group of players, who have become increasingly unhappy at Chelsea in recent weeks, about the direction the club is heading under the regime of Boehly and Clearlake.
Having spent £600m on new signings in the previous two transfer windows, there was optimism that the new US regime could match the success under Abramovich.
But a disastrous season has left a number of team members privately questioning their future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea were dumped out of the Champions League after a 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid
First team stars begin to grow frustrated with owner Todd Boehly’s running of the club
The Blues are in their worst run in 30 years with interim boss Frank Lampard after four losses
Indeed, Chelsea are planning to cut a squad this summer as they aim to comply with squad restrictions and Financial Fair Play rules following their massive spending on new players since last summer.
As well as players’ concerns about the club’s future, some squad members are worried about their first-team chances next season due to Chelsea’s bloated squad.
The face of the club will miss out on European football altogether next season given their low position in the Premier League, meaning there will be even fewer opportunities.
Chelsea’s recruitment firm in January left them with a huge squad of over 30 players, leaving many players – worth millions of pounds – completely out in the cold on match days.
The West London club already has Christopher Nkunku, Malo Gusto and, subject to a work permit, Andrey Santos joining the squad in the summer, with a number of players returning from loan before any new signings are made.
Boehly came under fire this week when he was revealed to be addressing the players in the Blues dressing room after last weekend’s loss to Brighton; making a speech in which he allegedly described the club’s season as embarrassing.
And Mail Sport has learned that during a surgery visit on January 15, Boehly welcomed £88 million with Mykhailo Mudryk – and his team of advisers – in the team dressing room on the day Chelsea beat Crystal Palace.
Well-placed sources have indicated that the visit took place prior to kick-off as the team was preparing for the game.
Mykhailo Mudryk was revealed on the day Chelsea played Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge
But Blues stars were stunned when the attacker’s entourage was allowed into the dressing room
The purpose of the visit was to introduce the side – who were led by Graham Potter at the time – to Mudryk, who was unveiled as a Chelsea player at Stamford Bridge ground that afternoon.
But along with Mudryk and Boehly, a number of other individuals – believed to be part of the Ukrainian attacker’s entourage – also gained access to the team’s inner sanctum.
The dressing room is widely regarded as a sacred place for players, especially prior to kick-off when they mentally prepare for matches, with strict rules on who is allowed to enter the room on match days.
The culture in American sports is different where those private spaces can be much more welcoming; on many occasions written journalists are even allowed access to the changing rooms.
Nevertheless, certain players and staff were surprised when Boehly, Mudryk and his advisers were allowed into the dressing room on the day of the Palace match.
Boehly entered the dressing room again after Tuesday night’s 2-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
But this time, he only spent about 10 minutes with the team and did not speak collectively with the group.
Naglesmann is believed to have significant support within the Chelsea hierarchy, having had face-to-face talks with Blues officials last week.
Boehly has already sacked two managers this season as he seeks a new hire
Chelsea look to Julian Nagelsmann (right) to replace fired Graham Potter (left).
Further talks between the German coach and Chelsea are likely to take place shortly, but Luis Enrique – who has also been contacted about the vacancy – is now seen as an outsider for the role.
Mauricio Pochettino is also a contender, but Naglesmann has made a strong case for becoming the next Chelsea boss next season.
Chelsea’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League will cost players millions in wages as the club face growing disillusionment within their squad.
The Blues’ elimination from this season’s competition by Real Madrid on Tuesday night means the two-time winners will miss out on playing in Europe’s elite club tournament for the 2023/24 season.
And the prospect of missing out on Champions League football will lead to a large number of players sacrificing huge sums of money.
Upon their arrival last year, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital implemented a bonus structure in player contracts linked to Champions League qualification, which would see their wages fluctuate depending on whether they played in the league.
It was a major step away from Roman Abramovich’s ownership era, which only rewarded players for winning trophies.
Mail Sport understands that the club’s most recent signings, or those who have agreed new contracts, will see their earning power drop by at least 30 per cent. Sources have indicated that the figure could be as high as 50 percent.
Enzo Fernandez could be one of the Chelsea stars hit by pay cuts this summer
It is unclear whether the variable salary scheme will be introduced immediately after the Champions League or whether players will receive a grace period.
The decision to enforce an incentivized salary structure was designed to motivate players, but it also provides Chelsea with a degree of protection against the financial shortfall created by failing to qualify for the hugely lucrative Champions League.
In contrast, those who signed contracts during the Abramovich era and have not renewed since then will continue to receive their full salary.
Chelsea have signed 12 senior players on permanent contracts since taking over Boehly-Clearlake, while seven existing team members have signed new terms since Abramovich’s departure.