Chelsea legend John Terry will join the True Blues consortium in their attempt to buy a 10 per cent stake in the Stamford Bridge club.

The 41-year-old said his involvement came with the goal of "building the best football club in the world" and establishing a "fan connection" with Chelsea, who remain up for sale after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.

The True Blues group is comprised of ex-players, including Terry, as well as entrepreneurs and fans, and its plans have been backed in principle by both the Chelsea Supporters' Trust and Chelsea Pitch Owners.

The consortium has made contact with Raine Group, the bank overseeing the sale of the club, in the hope of becoming involved alongside new owners, electing one representative to sit on the board.

Revealing his support for the True Blues on Twitter, Terry wrote: "Chelsea has been such an important part of my life for 22 years.

Four bids for Chelsea were confirmed before Friday's deadline.

Thomas Tuchel hailed the Chelsea players' response to the current takeover speculation after his side secured their FA Cup semi-final spot with a 2-0 win at Middlesbrough.

Boro knocked out Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham to reach the last eight, but Chelsea dominated throughout at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday.

Romelu Lukaku poked home after 15 minutes and Hakim Ziyech doubled the visitors' lead shortly after as the Blues progressed from quarter-finals for the 16th time in their previous 20 last-eight ties.

It was Chelsea's fifth straight win across all competitions since owner Roman Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom government and the European Union (EU) in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, announced his intentions to sell the club on March 2.

Chelsea also coasted to victory with no away fans in attendance due to the sanctions imposed on Abramovich, and Tuchel was delighted.

"We were very focused and very serious from the beginning," Tuchel told BBC Sport.

"We showed quality in decisive moments and scored two early goals which gave us a comfortable lead, but the effort was huge to not allow big chances. I'm very happy, it was a very deserved win.

"I'm impressed with the players' focus. We accepted the [ownership] situation because we didn't cause it. It isn't in our hands, but it was important we showed the right spirit and took responsibility.

"This is very, very good. If you have the talent, it is a responsibility to show it."

Mason Mount, whose two assists took him to 50 direct goal involvements for Chelsea across all competitions, also echoed Tuchel's comments.

"Middlesbrough have been on an unbelievable run, you've seen the teams they've beat recently in the cup, so it was never going to be a comfortable night," he said.

"We didn't have many fans here tonight but I felt that we let our football do the talking. We played some good stuff, and that was the main goal for us tonight.

"We really have that winning mentality within the group. Any competition, any game, we want to win, and we want to keep that going. It's been a tough couple of weeks but for us, as a team, we're just focused and ready to play.

"We're so hungry for a domestic title, we just need to keep going. It's not been the best of runs for us at Wembley but we want to right that wrong.

"We've already had one final at Wembley this season and lost it so we're hungry to win [the semi-final]."

Thomas Tuchel is convinced Chelsea will remain focused on winning trophies at the highest level under the club's next ownership.

The deadline for bids passed on Friday, and there were reportedly at least 30 offers submitted to US merchant bank the Raine Group, which is overseeing the sale.

Chelsea's long-time owner Roman Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK government on the basis of connections to Russia's president, Vladimir Putin.

Abramovich has denied having close ties to Putin, the leader who ordered the ongoing Russian military invasion of Ukraine.

However, the sanctions imposed mean Abramovich, whose assets have been frozen, will not be allowed to profit from the sale of Chelsea. For now, the club continues to operate on a special licence, unable to sell match tickets or merchandise.

Tuchel believes the scale of investment that it will take to buy Chelsea will mean the next owner must make success on the pitch a priority.

The German head coach said: "If somebody buys a club for this amount of money then it's about challenging on the highest kind of level, then it's about trophies, then it's about winning, and then it's about being the best you can.

"It's not about developing a project, it's not about making money with the club.

"I don't know the ideas behind buying a club or any organisation for this amount of money because I cannot afford it and I will never be able to.

"But that's what I hope and what I think. I think Chelsea as a club and a structure and an organisation has an awful to offer, and that's why the price is like it is."

Chelsea have won the Champions League and Club World Cup over the past 12 months, asserting their place at the top of the global game.

The Blues were due in FA Cup action against Middlesbrough on Saturday evening, having received permission to fly north for the game.

Restrictions imposed on the club after Abramovich's sanctioning meant Chelsea looked like having to take a long bus trip to the Riverside Stadium in order to fall within spending limits, but UK newspaper reports indicate an exemption was secured for the quarter-final game.

Abramovich is said to have valued the club, which he bought in 2003, at £3billion. Any funds are due to be directed to a charitable organisation or into a frozen account.

One interested party is a consortium headed by British property developer and Chelsea supporter Nick Candy. The Ricketts family, owners of MLB's Chicago Cubs and backed by hedge fund entrepreneur Ken Griffin, are another party to have officially made a bid.

Martin Broughton, the ex-Liverpool chairman, and Sebastian Coe, the president of World Athletics, are heading up a consortium, with another led by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss and American businessman Todd Boehly, a part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder believes FA Cup rivals Chelsea will believe "the world's against them" after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the UK government.

An FA Cup quarter-final at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday evening sees Chelsea go up against a Championship team who have knocked Manchester United and Tottenham out of the competition already.

Wilder, who previously managed in the Premier League with Sheffield United, will have Middlesbrough's players geed up for the occasion.

But he suspects Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea will also be determined to deliver a big performance, suggesting they have developed a "siege mentality" since the club sank into crisis.

He also believes the London club as a whole have woken up to the reality of their situation, having been roundly mocked for suggesting the Middlesbrough game be played behind closed doors.

On the pitch, Chelsea's players have shown focus since the club's crisis surfaced, beating Norwich City, Newcastle United and Lille in consecutive games.

"I've not taken too much notice about all the stuff that's happened over the last week and a half. This is an outstanding team in every aspect of the game. A squad I would imagine is worth about a billion pounds," Wilder told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"They've got world-class players and a world-class manager, regardless of all the stuff that's been going on. They are still in the hunt for a top-three finish and in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and the FA Cup.

"Their mentality I imagine should have been strengthened, with a little bit more of a siege mentality, that the world's against them, and they will certainly want to progress in the cup."

Chelsea were set to travel north by bus, rather than taking a private jet, with belt-tightening measures having been drawn up since the club was placed in special measures.

Abramovich has been sanctioned over links to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, and the club have been barred from selling tickets or merchandise.

When Chelsea requested that the Middlesbrough game be played without spectators for the sake of "sporting integrity", the London club faced ridicule and soon backed down.

Wilder was baffled too, saying: "I think like 99.99 per cent of people who love the game, [I thought] 'What is going on?'," he said.

"A bit of head scratching at the time. It was a decision that was met universally with displeasure. I don't know another word to use, it was baffling.

"There was a quick turnaround in terms of what they wanted to happen, maybe checking themselves a little bit, getting a grip of themselves and saying, 'Well really this shouldn't happen', and coming to a sensible conclusion."

Since recording back-to-back Premier League wins over Jose Mourinho's Chelsea in February and August 2006, early in the Abramovich era, Middlesbrough have lost each of their last eight matches with the Blues in all competitions without scoring a single goal.

Middlesbrough will be appearing in their first FA Cup quarter-final since 2016-17, when they lost 2-0 at home to Manchester City. They have been eliminated at this stage on each of the last four occasions they have reached the final eight, since making the semi-finals in 2005-06 under Steve McClaren.

Wilder suggests Middlesbrough have only "a puncher's chance" ahead of the visit of the third-placed team in the Premier League.

"But we want to give it a good go," he said. "It wouldn't be the biggest upset in cup history, but we are certainly up against it."

Cesar Azpilicueta praised Chelsea's resilience after their win over Lille on Wednesday sent them into the Champions League quarter-finals. 

The Blues triumphed 2-1 in the second leg of the last-16 tie at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, going through 4-1 on aggregate. Yet it was not as easy as the scoreline suggested, with Burak Yilmaz putting Lille ahead in the first half. 

However, Christian Pulisic equalised on the stroke of half-time and Azpilicueta put the result beyond doubt when he completed the turnaround in the 71st minute. 

Chelsea are facing extraordinary circumstances following the freezing of owner Roman Abramovich's assets in the United Kingdom, but Azpilicueta showed pride in the team's ability to focus on the task at hand. 

"It has not been a normal last few weeks," Azpilicueta told BT Sport. "We are playing every three days, difficult games. We are happy to go through and win the game. 

"This group fights against everything. We know we have to do the best we can on the pitch. That is what we do. We stay together, we fight together. 

"Everything outside, the noise, it could sometimes be easier to let it go and lose the focus. But that's not us. We do everything we can that we have in our hands. From there, we have to keep playing every three days." 

The 32-year-old also scored a rare goal for Chelsea, only his 16th in 463 appearances for the club. 

"I'm not very used to scoring, so I'm happy to score and put us through the quarter-finals," he said. 

"The first half, I don't think we started very well. They were very active, we knew it was going to be difficult. We made a few mistakes, they were dangerous, but the reaction was very good." 

Chelsea will face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. 

The Chicago Cubs owners, the Ricketts family, and billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin have partnered together to launch a bid to buy Chelsea.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich, who has been sanctioned by the United Kingdom government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is attempting to sell the Premier League club.

The deadline for bids is expected to be Friday, with a plethora of investors interested – including British billionaire and boyhood Blues fan Nick Candy.

The Ricketts family, who became major shareholders of Major League Baseball's Cubs in 2009, have reportedly combined with American Griffin to form a consortium capable of taking over at Stamford Bridge.

A widely reported statement from the Ricketts family on Wednesday confirmed their role in the bid and added: "As long-time operators of an iconic professional sports team, the Ricketts Family and their partners understand the importance of investing for success on the pitch, while respecting the traditions of the club, the fans and the community.

"We look forward to sharing further details of our plans in due course."

The Cubs' owners have overseen an impressive period of success at the franchise, both on and off the field.

Chicago ended a 108-year wait for World Series success in 2016 and completed a $1billion renovation of home ground Wrigley Field, a project which is thought to appeal to Chelsea fans demanding improvements to Stamford Bridge.

Abramovich, whose 19-year tenure at the London club is soon set to come to an end, had his British assets – including Chelsea – frozen last week and was disqualified as director of the club.

The Russian has owned Chelsea since 2003, with the club claiming 21 trophies during his spell at the helm.

Chelsea's Champions League match against Lille is set to take place as scheduled on Wednesday, UEFA has confirmed.

Last week, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom government in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

His assets have been frozen and restrictions have been placed on Chelsea, who cannot sell any new match tickets or merchandise and have caps on the amount they are able to spend to facilitate games being played both home and away.

Abramovich was subsequently sanctioned by the European Union (EU), which cast further doubt over the second leg of Chelsea's last-16 tie in Lille.

However, Thomas Tuchel's team have travelled to northern France and UEFA has confirmed that the match is set to go ahead.

"As it stands, the match is taking place as scheduled," UEFA told Stats Perform on Wednesday morning (GMT).

UEFA added that it "is fully committed to always implementing relevant EU and international sanctions".

A statement from European football's governing body explained: "Our understanding is that the present case is assessed in the context of the licence issued in the UK which allows Chelsea FC to continue minimum football activity whilst providing a safeguard that no financial gain will result for Mr Abramovich.

"We will work with the EU and relevant member states to ensure we have full clarity and remain in lockstep with all relevant and applicable measures in line with latest developments."

On Tuesday, Chelsea asked for their FA Cup match against Middlesbrough next weekend to be played behind closed doors in the interest of "sporting integrity", as the Blues are unable to sell tickets to any travelling away fans.

However, that request angered Middlesbrough and Chelsea subsequently withdrew it after widespread criticism.

Tuchel's side lead Lille 2-0 from the first leg thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic at Stamford Bridge three weeks ago.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has been hit with fresh sanctions, with the European Union taking action over his connections to Vladimir Putin.

Abramovich, 55, was one of seven Russian oligarchs to have his assets frozen by the United Kingdom government last Thursday.

That was a step taken due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the EU has followed suit by announcing it will also impose measures.

The EU Council described Abramovich as an "oligarch close to Vladimir Putin", listing him among 15 individuals and nine entities to be added to its sanctions list.

Abramovich, whose net worth was estimated by UK authorities to be in the region of £9.4billion, has previously been photographed with Putin, president of Russia.

Due to the UK asset freeze, Abramovich has been unable to press ahead with a decision to sell Chelsea on his terms, and he will not be allowed to profit from his ownership of the club, with ticket and merchandise sales suspended.

The EU Council said of Abramovich: "Roman Abramovich is a Russian oligarch who has long and close ties to Vladimir Putin. He has had privileged access to the president, and has maintained very good relations with him.

"This connection with the Russian leader helped him to maintain his considerable wealth. He is a major shareholder of the steel group Evraz, which is one of Russia’s largest taxpayers. He has therefore been benefiting from Russian decision-makers responsible for the annexation of Crimea or the destabilisation of Ukraine.

"He is also one of the leading Russian businesspersons involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the Government of the Russian Federation, which is responsible for the annexation of Crimea and the destabilisation of Ukraine."

Chelsea are due in European action on Wednesday when they are scheduled to face Lille in the second leg of a last-16 Champions League tie, defending a 2-0 lead.

They won the competition last year, beating Manchester City 1-0 in the final, for their second Champions League triumph of the Abramovich era.

Chelsea have withdrawn their request for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors to "protect sporting integrity" after they were banned from selling tickets.

Blues owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, but Chelsea have been granted a special licence to continue operating.

As part of the restrictions placed on Chelsea, they were unable to sell any tickets beyond the 600 they had already sold from their away allocation for the Riverside Stadium, meaning there will be a limited number of away fans in attendance for the quarter-final.

Chelsea lodged a request to the Football Association (FA) on Tuesday pushing for home supporters to also be blocked from attending, which was met with widespread ridicule and opposition.

Boro responded by making a stance that the Blues' "bizarre" demands were "ironic in the extreme", and the reigning European champions have since removed their request

The FA confirmed the decision in a statement that said: "After constructive talks between The FA and Chelsea, the club has agreed to remove their request for the Emirates FA Cup quarter-final tie against Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors.

"The FA remains in ongoing discussions with Chelsea, the Premier League and the government to find a solution that would enable both Chelsea fans to attend games and away fans to attend Stamford Bridge, whilst ensuring sanctions are respected."

Chelsea must head to Lille on Wednesday before travelling to Boro, who have already eliminated Manchester United and Tottenham from this season's FA Cup.

Kai Havertz says that he and his Chelsea team-mates would pay to travel to away games this season, adding that they must "give the fans a smile" amid the club's chaotic existence.

The Blues are currently under a fleet of financial sanctions in relation to owner Roman Abramovich, laid down by the United Kingdom government amid the Ukraine-Russia crisis.

Those sanctions include a cap on the cost of travel for away games for the foreseeable future, raising serious questions over whether Chelsea can fulfil their fixture schedule.

But ahead of a trip to France to face Lille in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash on Wednesday, Havertz vowed that players would turn out their own pockets if needed to fund their journeys.

"I would pay, it's no problem," the German stated. "That's not a big deal for us. For us to come to the games, that's the most important thing.

"I think there are a lot of harder things in the world at the moment than if we have to take the train or the bus to an away game. I would pay. It's no problem.

"I think we are all professional footballers. Everyone knows it's a strange situation for everyone in the club right now.

"But we are the players, we have to focus on playing football, on the matches, that's the best we can do."

Havertz admitted that he was limited to what he could say amid the fluid situation of Chelsea's day-to-day existence and future, but added that the team could at the very least do their supporters proud.

"All the other stuff, the club has to sort out by themselves, that's not up to the players," he added. "I cannot talk about it too much because we are focused on the games and that's all we can do at the moment.

"It's not easy. I think such a situation has not happened at Chelsea before, so it's a little bit strange, but we are professionals and sometimes situations like this can happen.

"It's not easy for us all, especially for the whole club, the fans, everyone. The best we can do is play good football, try to give the fans a smile.

"In these sort of situations, everything is tough for us. As we saw at the weekend, we can handle these situations and hopefully tomorrow as well."

Chelsea have called for Saturday's FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough to be played behind closed doors to "protect sporting integrity" after they were banned from selling tickets.

The Blues have been granted a special licence to continue operating after owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the United Kingdom government.

However, as part of the restrictions placed on Chelsea, they are not allowed to sell any tickets that had not already been purchased prior to last week's announcement.

With no away fans in attendance for next weekend's quarter-final at the Riverside Stadium, Chelsea are pushing for home supporters to also be blocked from attending.

The Premier League club provided an update in a statement published on their official website on Tuesday.

It read: "Despite engaging in extensive discussions with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), the deadline to purchase away tickets has passed without appropriate amendments being made to the government licence which would allow a full allocation of Chelsea supporters to attend. 

"Executives at Middlesbrough had been kind enough to extend their deadline for ticket sales and stadium allocation from 7.30pm last night until 9.30am this morning.

"It is important for the competition that the match against Middlesbrough goes ahead, however it is with extreme reluctance that we are asking the FA board to direct that the game be played behind closed doors for matters of sporting integrity. 

"Chelsea recognise that such an outcome would have a huge impact on Middlesbrough and its supporters, as well as our own fans who have already bought the limited number of tickets that were sold before the licence was imposed, but we believe this is the fairest way of proceeding in the current circumstances.

"We will continue to discuss the issue of ticket sales with OFSI as there are a number of fixtures still to be played this season and we hope to reach a resolution."

Second-tier Middlesbrough, who eliminated Manchester United and Tottenham in the previous two rounds, have already sold out their allocation of tickets for the last-eight tie.

Chelsea are only permitted to spend around £20,000 on travelling to and from games, meaning that they will make the near-10 hour round journey to Middlesbrough via coach. 

The Blues can fly to France for Wednesday's Champions League tie with Lille due to the travel arrangements already having been put in place.

Thomas Tuchel has questioned the priorities of the United Kingdom government after Chelsea supporters were criticised for chanting the name of owner Roman Abramovich.

Some Chelsea fans continued to express their backing for Abramovich during Sunday's 1-0 win over Newcastle United after he was sanctioned by the UK's government last week.

Abramovich had his assets frozen in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, leading to uncertainty over Chelsea's future.

The Russian billionaire can still apply for a licence that would allow him to sell the club, though he cannot receive any proceeds from a sale in such circumstances.

With Chelsea fans continuing to chant in support of Abramovich, a spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's called for them to stop.

"We recognise the strength of feeling around people's clubs but that does not excuse behaviour which is completely inappropriate at this time," the spokesperson said.

"I think people can show passion and support for their club without resorting to that sort of stuff."

When those comments were put to Tuchel ahead of Wednesday's Champions League tie with Lille, however, he urged those in power to focus on more pressing matters.

"I don't know if in these times this is the most important subject to be discussed in parliament," Tuchel said in a news conference.

"If fans chants need to be discussed in parliament, maybe we need to worry about the priorities of discussions there, but okay. 

"There's no need to comment from me. We have far more urgent things to discuss and handle."

Off-the-field talk again dominated Tuchel's media conference, though the former Paris Saint-Germain boss reiterated it is business as usual on the field.

Chelsea make the trip to Lille for the second leg of their last-16 tie boasting a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic three weeks ago.

"There is not more uncertainty. It's the same situation like in the last days. There are no updates," he said.

"Before we discuss a new owner, a new owner needs to arrive, be approved and be allowed to own a football club. Then we can discuss it if it's necessary.

"I did not have a choice to take this role [as spokesperson]. Do I need it? No. Listen, it's more or less day by day. 

"We talk inside and of course we have people who are in charge of different roles and different responsibilities but to the outside it is more or less me who talks. 

"I don't think too much about it. I try to be honest, give you an insight, provide you information from a coach's heart. Maybe this is what I try and you can rely on. 

"I am more than happy if things calm down and we can speak about football."

Tuchel will not let speculation regarding the ownership situation distract his side, though he admitted last week's sanctions – including a cap on spending – have had an impact.

Chelsea already booked flights to France before restrictions were put in place, but they may be forced to drive to Middlesbrough for Saturday's FA Cup tie. 

"There are restrictions, which we have to deal with it," he said. "There are adjustments in our amount of staff who is travelling, how many rooms we have in hotels, how we arrive.

"That will come soon. To my understanding everything is in place now we can arrive on a professional level. It is not about luxury, it is not about bling bling. 

"It is a professional level of sports where we play having only two days between matches while our opponents have four days. To arrive and decrease the possibility of injuries.

"For that, it is better to arrive with a plane than to sit in a bus. We try to be as professional as possible in the frame that we can do it. 

"To my understanding, we have a framework to go to Lille and play the game in Lille where there will be absolutely no excuses regarding this. 

"It is like already a bit more difficult to arrange things in the best way possible in the FA Cup. 

"As long as we have shirts, as long as we are 'alive', as long as we are a team and arrive with our players we will be competitive and fight hard for our success.

"We owe it to the people that support us in very invisible way. We are in the spotlight. It is our responsibility to do so and we will."

Prospective Chelsea owner Nick Candy has said he does not mind who owns the Blues, so long as the club ends up in "safe hands".

The property magnate reaffirmed his interest in buying Chelsea, of which he is a lifelong fan, in a statement released by a spokesperson on Sunday.

Having confirmed he intended to bid when Roman Abramovich put the club up for sale, the 49-year-old, who attended Chelsea's Premier League clash with Newcastle United, has pledged to install a fans' representative on the board if successful in purchasing the Blues.

Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of the Stamford Bridge outfit's game against the Magpies, Candy said he wanted Chelsea to have a worthy owner.

"I've supported Chelsea since the age of four," Candy said. "My dad was asked to play for Chelsea. I love Chelsea.

"I don't mind where it ends up, even if it's not with me, as long as it's in safe hands."

The British billionaire also reasserted his commitment to involving supporters in the day-to-day running of the club if he is able to complete a deal.

"A hundred per cent, they [the fans] should be involved in the ownership," Candy added. "Both on the board and economically."

Chelsea have won 19 major honours during the 19-year ownership of Abramovich, whose planned sale of the club has come about as a result of the Russian oligarch being hit with British government sanctions.

Chelsea legend Petr Cech concedes the club are living "day-to-day" amid their ongoing ownership crisis, but remains hopeful they will be able to finish the season at home and abroad.

The Blues are embroiled in a slew of sanctions against owner Roman Abramovich in relation to the Ukraine-Russia crisis by the UK government.

Chelsea are now operating under a special sporting licence, barring them from negotiating new contracts or transfers and preventing them from making ticket or merchandise sales, although reports have suggested that the government may yet permit a swift sale of the club.

Concerns remain over the club's ability to see out the season and speaking ahead of Chelsea's clash with Newcastle on Sunday, former goalkeeper Cech - who now works as a technical advisor at the club - said they remain in the dark on their future.

"We have to admit that we go day-by-day," he told Sky Sports. "We don't have this in our hands. The conversations are going on [about] whether we can operate, whether we can finish the season, because it is a difficult situation.

"I believe that, for us to be able to carry on the season, would help everybody in the Premier League."

With financial restrictions likely to be further imposed, Chelsea look almost certain to be unable to keep players such as Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen – who are both in the final months of their contracts – at the end of the campaign.

Questions are also being asked about the future of boss Thomas Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory last season.

Cech kept his cards close to his chest regarding the coach's future, but paid tribute to his success, adding: "Thomas has a contract until 2024. As it stands, we've been told that the club contracts will be valued, and in that way, we hope that we will have him as a coach.

"He's been absolutely brilliant on every level. But that's another thing. Tomorrow, the situation could change, and my answer with it."

Asked on how to pitch the club to prospective new owners, Cech offered further praise for the team's mentality in over a century as a professional team, stating: "Chelsea has 117 years of history and a lot of success.

"That success has come down to hard work and dedication of the people who have been working ever since the club was founded. It has had its own journey, its own success.

"This is not about money - it is about the hard work, the dedication of the players who sweat every day to make the club successful. We've done it all inside the rules, and all the Financial Fair Play [operations] that were in our power, and I believe that shouldn't be forgotten."