Chelsea director of football Marina Granovskaia has been predicted to leave the club as Roman Abramovich moves closer to completing the sale of the European champions.
Granovskaia has been central to Chelsea transfer deals and contract negotiations since taking up her current position in 2014. Having previously served as Abramovich's assistant, there has been plenty of speculation that she too could be on her way out of Stamford Bridge when the billionaire bids farewell.
Abramovich confirmed that he would be putting the club up for sale eight days before he was officially sanctioned by the UK government for alleged ties to Russia president Vladimir Putin, something he has always denied. It means that no money from the potential sale can go to the oligarch, with final bids set to be submitted by April 11.
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Losing Granovskaia would be seen as a significant blow to the club by many. She was named the Best Director in European Football at the by Tuttosport at the annual Golden Boy award ceremony last year and is highly thought of by many of her peers, making her a valuable weapon in the world of transfers.
But in an interview with The Athletic, an unnamed Premier League executive has predicted Granovskaia will leave Chelsea once Abramovich's successor is confirmed, either of her own volition or as part of a restructuring by the successful bidder.
“There are rumours within the industry that Marina might stay, but I can’t see that,” they said. “I’m not sure how she can. If you were buying Chelsea right now, I don’t think you could manufacture it in a way where she stayed. But she may not want to stay anyway. You would think she would want to go when a sale goes through, so there is a clean break.”
