Each of the four candidate groups in the race to buy Chelsea has expressed a wish to keep club director Marina Granovskaia at Stamford Bridge, according to The Athletic.
Granovkaia has not only been an influential figure at Chelsea for more than a decade but in European football in general.
Her being named the best club director in European football in 2021 at the Golden Boy awards, an event organised by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, speaks volumes of her works at Chelsea.
Following the sanctioning of Roman Abramovich and the expected takeover at Chelsea, however, her future at the club becomes unclear.
The Russian-Canadian executive has worked closely with Abramovich since 1997 at Sibneft, before taking a role at Chelsea in 2003.
At Chelsea, Granovskaia has been in charge of most of the club’s contract and transfer negotiations. This obviously makes her a well-known figure among other club executives as well as football player agents.
Losing her could be a “major blow” to Chelsea, particularly in the upcoming summer transfer window which they will likely not have much time to prepare for.
This is something that all the four shortlisted Chelsea bidders agree on, The Athletic claims.
While it remains unclear whether Granovskaia herself would agree to stay, the eventual winners in the sale process will reportedly offer her to continue “spearheading the day-to-day activities” of the club.
The men’s team head coach Thomas Tuchel has also had his say in Granovskaia’s uncertain future at the club and what he wanted was clear.
“I hope it stays on the same level, hopefully with the same person,” the German said last month about his “excellent” with the club director.
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