Chelsea’s installation of a sporting director is not imminent and there is a good chance that front-runner Christoph Freund now stays at Red Bull Salzburg.
Optimism inside Stamford Bridge that a deal for Freund was almost done is believed to have been premature, with Salzburg keen to keep hold of him.
The 45-year-old Austrian was the top candidate for Chelsea’s vacancy but they are also talking to other contenders and interest in the role is said to be high.
It means the process to make this key appointment is expected to take a number of weeks to conclude.
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Freund was at Stamford Bridge for Salzburg’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea in the Champions League last week and did not rule out a switch to west London.
Speaking to Sky Sports Austria, Freund said: “Chelsea is a huge club in transition.
“I can’t say exactly what will happen in the next few weeks and months. You should never rule anything out in football and Chelsea are such a huge club.
“But I’m sports director in Salzburg and I really enjoy it.”
Chelsea were without a full-time sporting director during the summer transfer window, which saw them spend over £250million on new players.
Co-owner and chairman Todd Boehly had been named interim sporting director in June after Marina Granovskaia left her role as a director. Petr Cech, Chelsea’s former goalkeeper turned technical advisor, was another to leave after the Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover from Roman Abramovich.
Following the conclusion of the market, The Athletic reported that Chelsea were aiming to secure a new sporting director by the start of the World Cup in November and would seek new head coach Graham Potter’s opinion on the decision.
Chelsea are back in action on October 1 when they travel Crystal Palace in what will be Potter’s first Premier League game in charge since replacing Thomas Tuchel.
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(Photo: Getty Images)
