Thomas Tuchel has revealed his confidence that Chelsea’s sale will now be completed quickly.
Tuchel revealed he was informed last week that Todd Boehly’s consortium had been handed preferred bidder status by Raine Group, the New York bank overseeing Chelsea’s sale.
Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Boehly’s bid has beaten Sir Martin Broughton and Steve Pagliuca to preferred bidder status in Chelsea’s sale, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s last-minute bid now also expected to prove unsuccessful.
Boehly’s bid is expected to be put forward to the Premier League to undergo owners and directors tests, with the UK Government required to grant the eventual sale by issuing a new licence.
And now Chelsea boss Tuchel has revealed he has been told that a preferred bidder has been selected.
“I’ve been told last week that we have a preferred bidder and things are going forward,” said Tuchel.
“It’s a pretty important week for the club, but I was fully focused on the pitch. But after what I heard last week I’m confident.
“Clearance is always the best, because when the situation is clear you can take actions, make judgements, take actions. Otherwise you’re in a passive role, and this is what we are right now.
“We tried to make it the smallest issue possible, but of course it is always there. We prefer to have it in a clear and forward-thinking situation.
“This is what we’re hoping for, we know what we deal with, this is what the circumstances are in improving the team, and that we can act, rather than react, or even worse, do nothing.”
Roman Abramovich insisted on Thursday, that he still wants to write off Chelsea’s £1.5billion (€1.75 billion) debt to him when the Stamford Bridge deal is closed.
The UK Government sanctioned the Russian-Israeli billionaire on March 10, claiming to have proven his links to Russia’s president Vladimir Putin.
Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, owing to Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.
The long-term Chelsea owner cannot now forgive his loan to the Blues however, due to the terms of those sanctions.
That loan is expected to be frozen on completion of the west London club’s sale, which is now inching ever closer.
The club must be sold ahead of the May 31 deadline, when the Government’s temporary licence for Chelsea expires.
Chelsea’s current licence bars the club from agreeing new contracts with existing players, or recruiting any targets.
The completion of the sale should restore business as usual, and Tuchel admitted hoping the Blues can minimise any ground lost to their rivals.
Asked if he is already looking at possible transfer targets, Tuchel replied: “Of course, of course. But in the moment it’s a very small process, you look at it and that’s it.
“We cannot get in contact, we cannot convince anybody, we cannot make an offer, so we have ideas, but that’s it. We are behind in that race, we said that before.
“We’re looking at it maybe being a disadvantage, but not a decisive disadvantage. Whatever team it is we will be competitive, because the club will always be strong.
“So even if things turn out and it’s exactly the same squad we will arrive to win the match. We have never done anything else and we will not do anything else.
“We have ideas and we have clear ideas how to improve, how to freshen up, improve the squad with new energy and quality. But it would not be the first transfer window where you have ambition you cannot match as a coach.
“So we will find solutions and first of all we need to adapt to the general situation, see if it’s possible and then what’s possible.”
