Todd Boehly call leaves Thomas Tuchel with rare Chelsea power not given under Roman Abramovich

It was mere minutes after Chelsea's 2021/22 campaign had wrapped with a home victory over Watford that Thomas Tuchel's attention turned to what came next: the summer transfer window.

"We have to be fast and smart," the Chelsea head coach said in the press room at Stamford Bridge. "The two top clubs [Man City and Liverpool] improve their teams – and they already have teams that are very clear on which to build. A rebuild is necessary for us, and that makes it more challenging, of course.

"We have clear ideas for the profiles and characteristics of these players. But it's not like we put a name on the list, and then we get the player. We have to convince the player, speak to their clubs, and convince ourselves this is the player [we need]. So there is normally a lot of work, and it will be the same to be competitive next season while everyone else tries to close the gap to us."

Chelsea and Tuchel couldn't immediately get to work – the takeover of the club by the consortium led by the U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly had to be completed first. That officially – and finally – took place a week and a half ago, and meetings have since been held as to how the Blues approach the transfer window.

Under Roman Abramovich, the recruitment process at Chelsea involved a number of different voices. That is far from unusual at an elite club; no one person is given absolute power. Yet it's become clear in recent windows, largely through the number of misguided signings, that the Blues need to tweak their approach. And that is what Boehly is understood to have done.

In a meeting held with Tuchel since the takeover went through, Boehly reportedly informed the Chelsea head coach that he would guide the club's business in the market this summer.