Tuchel up for task of rebuilding his Blues

THOMAS Tuchel believes Chelsea face a summer of “rebuilding” amid the impact of the Stamford Bridge club’s sale.

Chelsea will lose Antonio Rudiger to Real Madrid and Andreas Christensen to Barcelona on free transfers this summer.

The Blues are blocked from making new signings or securing existing players to new deals under the strict terms of the temporary UK Government licence.

Owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Russian president Vladimir Putin following the invasion of Ukraine.

Abramovich’s lawyers are understood to be hopeful of striking a legal resolution with the government that could now usher through Chelsea’s £4.25 billion sale to Todd Boehly.

The government is yet to agree to any terms, it is understood, with the granting of a licence to complete the sale the final step of Boehly’s purchase process.

Chelsea’s hiatus in the transfer market has allowed rivals, both domestic and European, to steal a march on summer window targets.

“You ask many times if we have a delay in approaching players and making plans; of course, a huge delay,” said Blues boss Tuchel.

“We are affected by it, players are going out. We are rebuilding, not improving the squad. This is always challenging but we are up for the challenge. I don’t know where we are from day one. What I can promise is that I will be here – if I can promise that. I will be here with full energy and positive energy no matter what.

“We will still work for Chelsea and I refuse to think of negative scenarios. We will be competitive, on which level we will see.

“On how the delay and sanctions will affect us, there is a risk.

“It will be very challenging to make up for the disadvantage, given the situation of the other two teams, City and Liverpool, who are already improving the squad and set one benchmark after the other in all aspects of the game.”

Chelsea have secured a topfour finish and Champions League football for next season, but can rubber-stamp third place by beating Leicester at Stamford Bridge tonight. ■ FRANK Lampard insists Everton must not adopt a belief that their fight for survival boils down to an “all or nothing” encounter at home to Crystal Palace tonight.

The Toffees realistically need two points from their remaining two matches but fans, well aware of the team’s woeful away record, have long been fearing a final-day trip to top-four chasing Arsenal.

But Lampard said“We have two games left to probably get two points with the goal difference situation with Leeds (Everton are 18 better off).

“We understand the situation, understand what we need and what we want and we have to prepare as well as we can to get it.

“But we are not going to write off a game against Arsenal.”

Thomas Tuchel