Todd Boehly must deliver on Thomas Tuchel's summer transfer wish after Chelsea takeover

There is one question that has often been posed by Chelsea's detractors over the previous 19 years. It's come after Premier League title wins, after Champions League triumphs, after domestic cup victories: Where would the club be without Roman Abramovich and his billions?

Well, we're about to find out.

It's not yet been officially confirmed, but the UK government signing off on the takeover by the consortium led by U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly was the final hurdle that needed to be cleared. So, a new era begins at Stamford Bridge – and it must try to live up to the unbridled success of the one that preceded it. Whether that is possible, only time will tell.

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Long term, there is much work for Boehly to oversee. Without the financial backing of Abramovich, Chelsea will have to operate smarter, become cuter in their dealings in the transfer market. There are commercial opportunities to maximise too, and most importantly, a stadium renovation to oversee.

Yet for the most part, these are tasks for down the line, that can be completed at a later date. The immediate focus for Boehly must be to support Thomas Tuchel and ensure Chelsea remain competitive in the Premier League next season. That will not be simple, partly because of circumstance but also because the short-termism of the Abramovich era has caught up with the Blues.

Tuchel's squad is a mishmash of players brought in under several previous head coaches, all of whom had wildly differing football ideologies. And that is a problem, as highlighted across the 2021/22 Premier League campaign at the end of which Chelsea finished 19 points behind eventual champions Manchester City.

When