Just as Chelsea appeared to be turning a corner, Todd Boehly grabbed the wheel and drove straight into the nearest brick wall.
Mauricio Pochettino, despite all the progress he made on and off the pitch turning a ragtag punch of strangers into something resembling a functional team unit, departed Stamford Bridge via the back door just days after guiding The Blues from 12th place to sixth in the space of one season.
Whether Enzo Maresca, Pochettino’s successor, can build on the foundations laid down by the Argentine only time will tell.
But, considering how many of their big decisions have turned out during the Clearlake era, it certainly does not feel beyond the realms of possibility that Chelsea supporters find themselves pining for Pochettino should the former Leicester City coach stumble out of the blocks in 2024/25.
Aleksandr Golovin glad he rejected Chelsea for Monaco
Chelsea will, at least, be back in Europe next season. Albeit in the Conference League, Manchester United’s FA Cup triumph over Man City demoting the London giants from the Europa and into the continent’s third-rate competition.
For Aleksandr Golovin, his Monaco side securing a seat at the top table alongside Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Bayer Leverkusen and Arsenal, the decision to choose France over England back in 2019 is one which continues to age like the finest wine.
Golovin told Match TV back in 2018 – joining Monaco in a £26 million deal after exploding onto the scene at the Russian World Cup – that he turned down Chelsea because he felt he was not yet ready to make his mark at such a club.
Still at Monaco six years on, Golovin is now looking at things from a very different perspective.
“Leonid (Slutsky, former Russia manager) said; ‘The last word is yours. Think for yourself’ I chose Monaco and I don’t regret it,” Golovin tells Sport Express. “Moreover, you see what is happening to Chelsea now.
“So, I did everything right.”
Golovin, during his time in the Principality, has caught the attention of Newcastle United and Everton, amongst others. Comparisons have also been drawn with Martin Odegaard, former Arsenal playmaker Alex Hleb encouraging The Gunners to make a move for a playmaker who shares their captain’s penchant for fizzing long-range strikes and lock-picking through balls.
Russia star likened to Martin Odegaard
Golovin has little interest, however, in turning his back on a Monaco team on their way back to the Champions League after a second-place finish in France’s top-flight.
“I am completely satisfied with everything at Monaco,” the former CSKA Moscow ace adds. “I feel like I have become a leader here. And this happened not so long ago.
“For the last two seasons I have felt like one of the leading football players. Moreover, leadership must be shown not only on the field, but also in the locker room. Now we have a lot of young players. The coach chose five players, including me, who should somehow bring up promising guys.
“I feel quite happy here.”
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