With the season coming to a close with Chelsea's final matches of the season against Leicester City and Watford and Todd Boehly's takeover believed to be imminent, it's little wonder thoughts begin to turn to a new era at Stamford Bridge and beyond. The page will turn pretty quickly, with players expected back in first-team training 41 days after the final day of the Premier League season. Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ben Chilwell even sooner.
The question is, who? Pre-season in 2021/22 saw a staggered return due to EURO 2020, and the likes of Trevoh Chalobah found his place to impact the first team, a sign that it is a moment of rejuvenation and opportunity. There could be a much larger group in attendance at Cobham.
Those numbers are unlikely to include Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen, while several decisions are to be made on players approaching the final year of their deals in N'Golo Kante, Jorginho and Marcos Alonso. There will be anticipation over the players who could replace those who have left with a new owner coming in.
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When the final whistle goes against Watford, there will be 23 days until the transfer window opens, and it will be a constrained period to work in. The club cannot move forward with players they have identified until the government adjusts the special licence when the takeover is complete. A fact Tuchel has not forgotten when declaring he has to rebuild the team, not simply improve it.
The German coach said in his press conference: "We are hoping, but at the moment, we are not. You ask many times if we have a delay in approaching players and making plans, of course, a huge delay. We are affected by it, players are going out. We are rebuilding, not improving the squad. We are rebuilding. This is always challenging, but we are up for the challenge.
"I don't know where we are from day one. What I can promise is that I will be here – if I can promise that – I will be here with full energy and positive energy no matter what. We will still work for Chelsea, and I refuse to think of negative scenarios. We will be competitive, on which level we will see.
"On how the delay and sanctions will affect us, there is a risk. It will be very challenging to make up for the disadvantage, given the situation of the other two teams: City and Liverpool, who are already improving the squad and set one benchmark after the other in all aspects of the game.
"Things are not easier for us. Normally I would say we arrive in good spirit and the right mindset on the first day of preparation, then we create an atmosphere, work ethic and put all in to be ready on the first matchday of Premier League to win the game."
Chelsea will have a large cohort of players coming back to Cobham in July, many of who have had an experience away from the club over the past 12 months. The loan army saw 26 players leave temporarily this season, and most will find their opportunity to impress upon their return.
Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja have been among the standout loanees given their status in the Premier League. Both will have the opportunity to force Tuchel's hand.
He said: "First of all, they will come back because they are our players. When we send them on loan, we do this for them but also for us to have better players, more experienced players back. They are our players, and I want to have them in pre-season, and then we decide what's going on.
"It's heavily linked to them, to how they integrate and what they do and what our ideas are for them and what they want to reach. It's heavily linked to our sanctions and the situation around the club. It is too early to predict the future for them given the role of the whole season, but they will be back for pre-season, that's for sure."
