It was mere minutes after Chelsea's 2021/22 campaign had wrapped with a home victory over Watford that Thomas Tuchel's attention turned to what came next: the summer transfer window.
"We have to be fast and smart," the Chelsea head coach said in the press room at Stamford Bridge. "The two top clubs [Man City and Liverpool] improve their teams – and they already have teams that are very clear on which to build. A rebuild is necessary for us, and that makes it more challenging, of course.
"We have clear ideas for the profiles and characteristics of these players. But it's not like we put a name on the list, and then we get the player. We have to convince the player, speak to their clubs, and convince ourselves this is the player [we need]. So there is normally a lot of work, and it will be the same to be competitive next season while everyone else tries to close the gap to us."
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Chelsea and Tuchel couldn't immediately get to work – the takeover of the club by the consortium led by the U.S. billionaire Todd Boehly had to be completed first. That officially – and finally – took place a week and a half ago, and meetings have since been held as to how the Blues approach the transfer window.
Under Roman Abramovich, the recruitment process at Chelsea involved a number of different voices. That is far from unusual at an elite club; no one person is given absolute power. Yet it's become clear in recent windows, largely through the number of misguided signings, that the Blues need to tweak their approach. And that is what Boehly is understood to have done.
In a meeting held with Tuchel since the takeover went through, Boehly reportedly informed the Chelsea head coach that he would guide the club's business in the market this summer. It's a show of faith. A sign of the esteem Tuchel is held in. And the first big departure from the Abramovich era.
Tuchel will be allowed to shape the Chelsea squad in his image, to his football ideals. If a current member of the first-team squad does not fit that and Tuchel is happy for them to move on, the club will do what they can to make that a reality. See Romelu Lukaku's current situation as a case in point.
The same goes for potential additions. If Tuchel believes a player to be important to his squad rebuild, every effort will be made to complete their signing. That could prove influential, for instance, in the pursuit of Ousmane Dembele, whose contract at Barcelona expires at the end of this month and whose representatives Chelsea have been in contact with over a free transfer.
It's hoped that by giving Tuchel greater licence over the squad rebuild this summer that foundations will be put in place to allow Chelsea to again challenge for the Premier League title. That may not happen next season with improvements being made at Manchester City and Liverpool, but the Blues will be on the right track if they are able to become more consistent in the top flight.
Importantly, however, Tuchel must be allowed to see the process through. Chelsea became used to a managerial sacking shocking an underperforming squad into action under Abramovich. Given the trophies accumulated under the Russian's watch, it's impossible to say it was a tactic that didn't work.
Yet, with Boehly having given Tuchel greater responsibility for transfers, Chelsea have taken the first step away from that short-term approach. And the hope is that it will more than pay off in the years to come.
