Chelsea files: Blues face having to rip up transfer strategy after Strasbourg success as co-owner issues stadium update

CHELSEA are facing a major rethink in their transfer strategy for next season – due to the unexpected success of French sister club Strasbourg.

Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos and Serbian keeper Djordje Petrovic have starred on loan at the Ligue 1 surprise package, while another hot teenage prospect, Ecuadorian Kendry Paes, is training under the tutelage of boss Liam Rosenior.

Strasbourg could leap into second spot behind runaway champions PSG with just a game to go if they win at struggling Angers on Saturday.

Uefa regulations mean Chelsea owners BlueCo had to park their shares in the French side in a blind trust last week.

But if the two teams qualify for the same competition, Chelsea will not be allowed to do ANY transfer deals with Strasbourg this summer, meaning they cannot use the French side as a hot house nursery for their emerging talents next summer.

This means that neither Santos or Petrovic would be able to extend their loan stays.

CLUBBING TOGETHER

CHELSEA are set to finally discover their opening Club World Cup opponents.

The Blues were due to kick off their campaign against Mexican side Leon in Atlanta on June 16.

But Fifa booted the Central American team out because they are part of the same multi club ownership group as fellow countrymen Pachuca, who have also qualified.

Leon appealed to the Swiss-based Court of Arbitration for Sport, but have been unsuccessful.

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Fifa decided Leon’s place should be taken by the winners of a play off between Mexico’s Club America and former Chelsea and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud‘s MLS team LAFC, part-owned by the comedian Will Ferrell.

But CAS judges will also hear an appeal against Fifa by Costa Rica’s Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, who claim they should be handed Leon’s place by virtue of their coefficient ranking.”

WILL POWER

ENZO MARESCA and Levi Colwill are fully paid up members of the Mutual Appreciation Society.

Boss Maresca loves Levi and Levi loves Enzo in return, recently describing his manager as ‘light years ahead’ of his peers.

The discussion around the England centre back one day becoming Chelsea captain is gathering momentum and the player is desperate for the responsibility.

Colwill is 22 but has been associated with his club since under-nine level.

Speaking to a source at Stamford Bridge this week, we were told: “Levi has been at Chelsea for years. He has the DNA of Chelsea in his blood. And he has that winner’s mentality.”

“He would LOVE to be captain. His natural character is to lead. He tries his best to push his mentality.”

The only problem facing Colwill is the backlog of captains already at the club and the youth-first policy being followed by the powers-that-be.

Current captain Reece James is only 25, his vice-captain Enzo Fernandez is 24. Unless Chelsea sell the pair of them, that armband isn’t going anywhere soon.

But good luck to Colwill in his mission.

A TOUCHING TRIBUTE

BIG PREMIER League clubs like Chelsea enjoy a pack of ‘regular’ journalists who follow the club around the circuit.

Those hacks become like a mini-family over time and everyone was so sad to hear of the sudden death of Paul Lagan last week.

Paul was a passionate Chelsea supporter which made for that love-hate relationship all fans have with their favourite team.

He also ran a successful agency and was always keen to give young reporters a start. He was only 66 and it was a touching gesture by the club to ‘retire’ Paul’s seat for Sunday’s 3-1 win over Liverpool and place a wreath upon it.

Words were said in the press room before the game and Paul’s face, alongside his hero the late Gianluca Vialli, was displayed on the big screen at Stamford Bridge at half time.

The pair of them may now be ‘up there’ reuniting and talking Chelsea for eternity.

HOLDING COURT

CHELSEA co-owner Hansjorg Wyss says leaving Stamford Bridge for Earl’s Court is “the best option” for the club’s future.

But the Swiss billionaire pointed to boardroom divisions that have currently left all long-term calls in limbo.

Wyss, 89, who joined forces with Todd Boehly to buy out the shares Roman Abramovich was forced to sell in 2022, was collared by a Chelsea Fan YouTube channel after Sunday’s win over Liverpool, when he gave a ringing endorsement of the dressing room “spirit” under Enzo Maresca.

Asked about the prospect of leaving the Bridge, Wyss revealed: “Earl’s Court will be the best option we can think of.

“But if it’s going to  happen, I don’t know.

“There’s a lot of obstacles and right now we don’t have one person who drives the project.

“That’s what we need, in the meetings, the directors’ meetings.

“Until we have one project, where someone says ‘I’m going to make it happen’, it’s not going to happen.”

ROMEO CONCERNS

ROMEO LAVIA’S long-term injuries have been pin-pointed by Enzo Maresca as a major factor in Chelsea’s wobbles.

The Belgian midfielder was outstanding in the win over Liverpool, after another fine display against Everton the previous week,

But in both games, fitness worries were clear.

Maresca told Reece James to warm up intensively before half-time against the Toffees when it looked as though the £45m recruit from Southampton was struggling.

And even in the Liverpool game, Lavia signalled to the bench that he felt his race was run in the second half.

Maresca said: “We are a better team with Romeo. He showed again how important he is for the team and how good he is. Unfortunately he has been injured for most of the season.”

Finding a way to keep Lavia on the pitch for more than three games in a row might prove the key for next term.

MEANS TO AN ENZ

ENZO MARESCA believes his experience of a nail-biting promotion battle with Leicester last season could help him get Chelsea over the Champions League line.

Maresca’s Foxes were in danger of blowing a 12 point lead at the top of the Championship as they lurched into a run of just three wins and six defeats in 10 games.

But a vital victory over West Brom turned the tide.

Chelsea face Newcastle, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in their final three matches as they sit bang in the middle of a mini-table with only four points separating third placed Manchester City and Villa in seventh.

Maresca, though, feels that going through the wringer 12 months ago will be a factor in his favour now.

He said: “For sure the experience I had last year has been great in the sense that I learned from that.

“When you don’t win games and struggle with results, you always have to analyse the matches.

“We didn’t win some games where we weren’t good enough. But we also didn’t win some where we deserved to win.

“So it’s about going game by game, analysing each game and seeing how we can improve.”

VIP TREATMENT

ENGLISH journalists were pleasantly surprised to find themselves being ‘high-fived’ by home supporters after last Thursday’s 4-1 trouncing of Djurgarden by Chelsea.

A ‘sterile’ corridor complete with VIP barriers was erected on the touchline to help working reporters reach the Mixed Zone at the 3Arena.

So some Swedish fans clearly confused the passing press pack with people of genuine importance. Either that or not much happens in the Stockholm suburbs. Think I know the answer.

VIVID DESCRIPTION

ANOTHER clarion call in the past week proudly announcing Chelsea are going digital with their ticketing from next season.

The club claims on the all rounder email to members that it is part of their proactive policy to fend off the ticket touts who snap up seats then flog them on at inflated prices.

Although it’s eerily quiet on what they are doing to combat unauthorised websites such as ‘Vivid Seats’ which boasts Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly as a shareholder. Funny that.