Potential £200m banked in next month will decide if Chelsea can sign “elite players” says Sky’s top reporter | OneFootball

Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol has just put out a long piece on their website about the future of Enzo Maresca at Chelsea.

If you couldn’t guess already, the manager’s future at the club is safe. He will be backed by Chelsea regardless of the result on Sunday, which will decide whether the Blues qualify for next year’s Champions League. The “club’s hierarchy believe Maresca is on track with his project, regardless of Sunday’s outcome.”

Maresca safe regardless of next two results

Enzo Maresca put on the spot in press conference.

“Chelsea really need to qualify for the Champions League,” Solhekol said on Sky Sports News.

“But I don’t think it will really affect the future of Maresca. The senior executives at Chelsea feel he is building something, that he’s not a million miles away from achieving the goals set for him and if they stick with him Chelsea can be challenging for major honours next season.”

A lot of fans would disagree with that, but it’s also understandable why those upstairs want to stand by their man after so many years of flux.

The Champions League decider followed by the Conference League final will have a major effect on how the season is seen of course, but the Club World Cup to follow also gives us a chance to take on some big new teams and try to show off the progress we’ve made in the year since Maresca arrived.

How Champions League finish affects Chelsea budgets

As you’d expect, the piece also has a long section about how potential Champions League qualification affects their transfer budgets.

“Chelsea will make at least £100m if they qualify for the Champions League and they will bank about £100m if they reach the final stages of the Club World Cup,” Solhekol notes.

Equally important is the draw of the competition:

“Many elite players who will move this summer are waiting to see who will be playing in European football’s elite competition next season before finalising any transfers.”