Following the sanctions imposed on owner Roman Abramovich, there are fears that the club could become toxic in the eyes of current and prospective players, even if the financial uncertainty surrounding its future are resolved.
As things stand, under the special licence under which the club now operates, Chelsea is under a transfer embargo, and cannot buy or sell players. It also means that it is unable to negotiate contract with existing staff, which would appear to end any hopes that they might have of securing new deals for Antonio Rüdiger, Andreas Christensen, and César Azpilicueta.
But it goes further than that, with many outside the club revolted by the insistence of Chelsea fans to continue to sign the name of Abramovich, even whilst the steel he has helped supply continues to be used in the Russian tanks which are helping to kill innocent Ukrainian civilians.
All of which makes Chelsea a much less attractive proposition for anybody seeking a summer move – even if the club is able to operate normally by then.
