Premier League clubs have questioned whether Chelsea would receive an 'unfair advantage' if owner Roman Abramovich writes off his £1.5billion debt in a potential takeover.
The Blues were put up for sale by the Russian billionaire almost a fortnight ago - after his links to Vladimir Putin came to light following the invasion of Ukraine - and in his hasty exit strategy, Abramovich pledged that he would not ask for any debt accumulated over the past 19 years, which he is owed, to be repaid by the south-west London club.
But since the UK government sanctioned Abramovich and froze his assets, Chelsea have been plunged into further crisis and must wait for Downing Street to issue them with a new licence to be sold. Should a solution emerge and Abramovich stick to his pledge, the new regime would not have to deal with the backlog of cash, leading chiefs of rival Premier League clubs to raise concerns over the potentially advantageous situation.
The Telegraph report that in a call convened by the league on Monday afternoon, representatives of the other 19 clubs were updated on the Blues' situation by Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck. The general consensus from rivals was that Abramovich's successor could benefit from not having to repay the £1.5bn, which has been racked up since the 55-year-old bought the Blues for £140million in 2003, before super-charging them to the top of world football.
Buck went on to confirm that Chelsea had enough financial rescuers to complete the season and would not go into administration. Any bids to buy the club must be submitted by the close of play on Friday to Raine Group in New York, who is tasked with overseeing the process.
Once the offers are in, the terms of a government licence will dictate how things proceed. A consortium of US investor Todd Boehly, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and British property developer Jonathan Goldstein are the current favourites, but Nick Candy and Saudi Media Group are also in the running.
Both the Premier League and government are keen for a sale to be completed swiftly and avoid compounding political scrutiny. It is added that Premier League policy director Helen MacNamara will appear in front of a select Department of Digital, Media, Culture, Sport committee to discuss football's response to the Ukraine crisis and disinformation surrounding Russia.
Chelsea's predicament has seen the topic of sportwashing thrust into the spotlight, with manager Thomas Tuchel constantly facing probes over both the club's future and Abramovich's ties to Putin. But the German tactician has insisted that his focus remains on dealing with the Blues' day-to-day situation in footballing terms.
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"It's the same situation as in the last days. There is no update or other feeling around [Cobham]," Tuchel told a news conference on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League round-of-16 second leg against Lille. "We have to deal with it. There are things to talk about, like how to arrive at games.
"Things that are normally taken care of, but now we have to stick together, give our opinions, and then we have to find solutions. There are subjects we don't usually discuss but now we will." He added: "A need owner needs to arrive, to be approved, and then own the club. Then we discuss it.
"There is a process how you become an owner in this league, and of course, as I said after the last game, everybody relies on the process and the values which are behind the decisions and allowances to run a club. Did I have a choice to take this role [over the last two weeks]? No, but it is day-by-day.
"Not a lot of people in England are talking at a club. It is something I appreciate that we keep it inside. I try to be honest, give you an insight, and give you information from a coach's heart. This is what I try and what you can rely on."
Regarding the off-pitch uncertainty, forward Kai Havertz admitted: "We are all professionals. Everyone knows it's a strange situation for everyone at the club. We are the players and have to focus on the matches. That's all we can do.
"The other stuff the club has to sort out themselves. It's not for the players. I can't speak about it too much because we are focused on the games and that is what is important for us at the moment."
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