Prospective bidders of Chelsea Football Club have already suffered their first major transfer blow amid Thomas Tuchel's search for midfield reinforcements. Whether it be Nick Candy, Saudi Media or Todd Boehly, the Blues' setback offers potential owners an insight into the brutal reality of how their advocates in the fanbase will be won or lost.
After a somewhat quiet summer transfer window that granted Thomas Tuchel just Romelu Lukaku, Saul Niguez and Marcus Bettinelli - despite having guided Chelsea to European glory - the west London side looked as if they were lining up the second instalment of arrivals.
However, following the UK Government's decision to sanction Roman Abramovich, Chelsea was flushed of their financial stability. The blanket of uncertainty thrown over Stamford Bridge seems to have already impacted one of Tuchel's primary targets, who was just moments from penning a deal a few months ago.
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Aurelien Tchouameni, who spearheaded the Blues' transfer shopping list in the summer, has decided that he wants to play for Real Madrid, according to Spanish journalists RodrigoFaez and Ramon_AlvarezMM via their transfer show. The report claims that AS Monaco are expected to demand just £42m for the 22-year-old's signature.
Chelsea opted against signing Tchouameni in the summer because the club felt as if the midfielder could have done with another 12 months of development, as per The Athletic. Tuchel's side has since paid the price for their naivety and reluctance to pull the trigger on a player identified as the perfect Casemiro replacement by Los Blancos.
The Blues now look as if they have an eye-watering distance to make up before they can rival Carlo Ancelotti's side for Tchouameni, despite having once led the race. A blanket of uncertainty has now been thrown over Tuchel's midfield; both Jorginho and N'Golo Kante see their contracts expire in 2023, and with the club's assets frozen, Chelsea could be walking on thin ice next season.
