Chelsea owners BlueCo have taken a drastic measure to avoid a potential nightmare scenario with sister club Strasbourg next season.
The Blues’ promising campaign has officially turned into a disaster. After being humiliated by PSG in the Champions League, Chelsea are now on a five-game losing run in the Premier League. They have not scored a single goal in those five matches.
Liam Rosenior, who only replaced Enzo Maresca in January, is already fighting for his job, as per Ben Jacobs. Chelsea did not plan to review the 41-year-old’s position until next season, but the team’s disastrous recent form has changed this stance.
Chelsea’s last five Premier League games
| Date | Opponent | Result |
| 14 March | Newcastle (h) | 1-0 loss |
| 21 March | Everton (a) | 3-0 loss |
| 12 April | Man City (h) | 3-0 loss |
| 18 April | Man Utd (h) | 1-0 loss |
| 21 April | Brighton (a) | 3-0 loss |
Rosenior could actually be sacked in the immediate future because Chelsea look increasingly unlikely to qualify for the Champions League. Their dismal 3-0 loss to Brighton on Tuesday saw them drop below the Seagulls into seventh.
Failure to reach the Champions League could have consequences that extend far beyond Stamford Bridge and West London. It will also influence the planning of BlueCo sister club Strasbourg.
Chelsea cut ties with Strasbourg
The possibility that both clubs qualify for next season’s Europa League is very real. Under UEFA rules, it is technically not permitted for clubs with the same ownership to compete in the same European competition.
However, the governing body has refused to crack down on this as harshly as initially planned. An easy workaround to ensure that these clubs are allowed entry into the same competition is by placing one of them in a blind trust.
For the owners, it essentially means cutting ties with the club and letting them act independently for one season. The two clubs are not allowed to do business with each other or to interact in any way that could influence sporting matters.
INEOS had to place OGC Nice in a blind trust when the French club and Man Utd both featured in the Europa League last season. This saw Jean-Clair Todibo’s proposed move from Nice to the Red Devils fall through in summer 2024 after UEFA stepped in.
In order to avoid a scenario in which one club would be demoted to the Conference League (as happened with Crystal Palace this season), BlueCo have taken the necessary precautions to make sure that both Chelsea and Strasbourg will be allowed into the Europa League.
L’Equipe reports that BlueCo have agreed to place Strasbourg in a blind trust, which has, by extension, forced them to dismiss Chelsea sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Lawrence Stewart from the French club’s board.
Winstanley and Stewart are the head honchos of Chelsea’s recruitment department, which was recently expanded to a whopping five sporting directors. They have closely coordinated the club’s abundant business with Strasbourg.
However, should both indeed qualify for the Europa League (or Conference League), they would not be allowed to trade players, which would surely doom Chelsea’s planned signing of midfielder Valentin Barco.
Whether this would also influence Emmanuel Emegha’s already-confirmed move to Stamford Bridge remains to be seen. What’s clear, though, is that it would alter both clubs’ summer transfer strategy in a major way.
Football transfer news headlines today
Transfer Rumours: Chelsea in ‘epic’ €60m five-club battle as bid ‘promised’
Arsenal Transfer News Today: Agreement confirmed amid massive Alvarez boost
Chelsea Transfer News Today: Palmer exit warning as Romano confirms agreement
Man Utd Transfer News Today: €40m offer ready as Alex Scott battle begins
The FootballTransfers app
Check out FootballTransfers’ new app for all of football’s big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.
The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:
•Google Play
•App Store
