Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia is next in line to step down following Bruce Buck’s exit
After many days of perceived inactivity in the transfer market, seismic changes are occurring right now at Chelsea. The implications of these changes are more significant than any player arriving or leaving, as the future of the club remains dependent on it.
Marina Granovskaia is on the verge of stepping down as Director of Chelsea Football Club following the exit of club Chairman Bruce Buck, the Telegraph’s Matt Law reports.
The Russian-Canadian has been a representative for former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich since 2010, before joining the Chelsea board in 2013 and has been in charge of player transfers and contracts since.
Since the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capitals’ takeover of the club, mammoth changes to the club’s internal structure was expected since it was only natural for the new owners to form a new board.
Granovskaia, however, was expected to continue for a few more months. Her exit is now imminent, further underlining the intentions of the Boehly-Clearlake ownership who clearly don’t want to waste any time laying their new foundation.
Having made a reputation for herself as a tough and proficient negotiator, Granovskaia has often been dubbed as “The Iron Lady” and “The most powerful woman in football”. For now, it’s unclear if she will be a part of the newly assembled Chelsea board in a different capacity, but that remains a possibility.
The last remnants of Chelsea’s Roman Empire
Chief Executive Guy Lawrence and Chairman Bruce Buck have officially stepped down. Granovskaia now looks set to join the backroom exodus. The three key boardroom figures under Roman Abramovich will no longer be in a position of power to run Chelsea on a day-to-day basis.
This also casts serious doubts on the future of club legend and current Technical and Performance Advisor, Petr Cech. He was appointed to his role by Granovskaia and was previously asked to continue by the new owners. If Granovskaia leaves, Cech is likely to consider his future.
Chelsea will almost certainly have to appoint a new Director of Football, should Granovskaia step away. Atletico Madrid Sporting Director, Andrea Berta remains a potential candidate.
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Granovskaia’s reign will go down as one that had everything – incredible success, shrewd negotiations, intelligent signings and a little bit of disaster. The last point is especially true given the club record £97.5m that we splashed out for Romelu Lukaku last summer.
Chelsea’s “Iron Lady” is now the last one standing from Roman Abramovich’s empire, and her stepping down will truly signal, if it wasn’t apparent enough already, the end of an era.