Chelsea takeover game-changing Paul Mitchell decision signals exciting transfer overhaul

Although we do not yet know the identity of who will next own Chelsea Football Club, the rumours and speculation over key figures who will make up that new hierarchy certainly makes for interesting reading. And subsequently, the effects that will have on how the club approaches transfer windows moving forward.

Last week we got reports that all four of the shortlisted bidders by Raine want to keep current director Marina Granovskaia on board for the foreseeable future. By Friday morning, one of the bidders had fallen, the Ricketts Family ruling themselves out of the race.

The Todd Boehly consortium, the Sir Martin Broughton group and Stephen Pagliuca are left, with two of the trio also focusing on filling the vacated technical director position that has not been occupied since Michael Emenalo left the club in November 2017.

Who is Paul Mitchell? The ex-Tottenham recruitment expert being monitored by Chelsea and Man Utd

As reported by The Athletic on Monday morning, the name figuring prominently in preliminary conversations is Paul Mitchell. Two of the original quartet competing for Chelsea are believed to be closely monitoring Mitchell’s situation and could contact the Englishman if they take control.

Mitchell is currently the sporting director at Ligue 1 club AS Monaco, having ironically replaced Emenalo. His track record in the role with previous clubs is impressive. Having held senior positions at MK Dons, Southampton, Spurs and RB Leipzig before joining Monaco in June 2020.

Some of the names his expertise has uncovered over the past decade justify his impressive reputation. Either helping to recruit or recommend the likes of Nathaniel Clyne, Toby Alderweireld, Dele Alli, Son Heung-min, Kieran Trippier and Nordi