The Todd Boehly period at Chelsea is in full swing now with a brand new sporting director set to imminently arrive on the membership.
There was nice upheaval at Stamford Bridge because the American assumed full management from Roman Abramovich earlier this yr.
There was a mass filter out of a number of the Russian billionaire’s long-serving, and trusted, workers.
Chief amongst these was Marina Granovskaia, who served as a director and took cost of switch negotiations, growing a status as top-of-the-line within the enterprise.
Boehly assumed management as chairman and interim sporting director and now could be seeking to appoint somebody to that function completely.
With Graham Potter succeeding Thomas Tuchel as Blues boss, it’s an opportune time to get somebody in to work with the 47-year-old and construct a robust working relationship from the outset.
That sporting director will nearly definitely be Christoph Freund of Red Bull Salzburg.
He’s thought to have impressed Blues homeowners Boehly and Behdad Eghbali together with his shrewdness, daring concepts and fervour.
Potter was understood to have been asked for his view on Freund before owners Boehly and Eghbali pressed ahead with a deal.
Potter is said to be ready to work with Freund, with the new Chelsea coach’s backroom staff recruitment specialist Kyle Macaulay heavily involved too.
The 45-year-old did not dismiss links to the Blues, saying: “I’ve had exchanges with Chelsea from time to time.
“We spoke a lot more a month or two ago because they were interested in signing [Benjamin] Sesko.
“The new owners are interested in how we do things with young players, how we integrate them into the first team. Chelsea is a huge club in transition. I can’t say exactly what will happen in the next few weeks and months.”
Freund has developed a fearsome reputation as one of the best talent spotters around Europe, creating huge profits for Red Bull Salzburg.
Notable gamers he has scouted for the Austrian membership embrace Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane, Naby Keita and Dayot Upamecano.
Freund was a defensive midfielder who by no means really performed exterior his dwelling nation of Austria.
He joined the youth academy of Salzburg, the place he spent six years, a long-time earlier than the Pink Bull cash got here in.
Freund additionally performed for quite a few decrease tier golf equipment earlier than shifting into behind the scenes roles.
When Pink Bull took over Salzburg, he turned ‘crew supervisor’, which meant he took on quite a few organisational duties.
He then turned sporting coordinator in 2012 earlier than succeeding Ralf Rangnick as sporting director in 2015, with the German promoted to overseeing operations at Salzburg and sister membership RB Leipzig.
Freund’s observe document as a expertise scout and negotiator would little question have been an enormous draw for Chelsea.
talkSPORT’s European soccer skilled Andy Brassell gave an perception into what kind of individual the Blues can be getting.
He informed Trans Europe Categorical: “You take a look at the gamers who arrived at Salzburg and who’ve since moved on; Erling Haaland, Naby Keita, Dayot Upamecano, Sadio Mane, it’s some Chelsea are going to need to do.
“They’ve made an enormous splash within the switch market, however going ahead appointing Potter says ‘we need to develop, we need to be sustainable’.
“That to me appears necessary that you simply’ve obtained the thought of a coach and sporting director in.
“Ideally the sporting director will outlast the coach, in all regular functioning soccer golf equipment.
“It appears as if they are going to match collectively fairly effectively. That’s what you need to do, have a sporting director who suits the philosophy of what you need. The American mannequin of maximising worth.”
