New Chelsea owners preparing to make 'statement signings' to start new era

Todd Boehly vowed to build on Chelsea’s “remarkable history of success” after completing his £4.25billion purchase of the Stamford Bridge club on Monday.

The 48-year-old US tycoon’s consortium finally took the Stamford Bridge helm on Monday, having finalised the record sports franchise purchase from Roman Abramovich.

Boehly’s consortium fought off 11 serious rivals to become the new Chelsea owners, in a sale process that started on March 2 and comprised more than 250 enquiries.

Several Chelsea first team stars are expected to leave the club this summer and profits from their exits will be ploughed back into an already healthy transfer kitty for manager Thomas Tuchel.

Now sundayworld.com can reveal that the new Blues owners are eager to make an early statement and have backed Sporting Director Petr Cech to complete a deal for one of the club's long-term targets.

Sevilla's French centre-back Jules Kounde has been top of Chelsea's wanted list throughout 2022 and came close to joining the club in January.

Now there is a growing belief inside Stamford Bridge that the player's eagerness to join Chelsea will eventually force Sevilla into a deal, even though the Spanish club continue to demand £60million for the 23-year-old.

A structured deal that will see Chelsea pay a sunstantial fee over an extended period could be a way to broker an agreement that suits all parties, with Kounde again making it clear to Sevilla in recent days that he wants to join Chelsea.

Barcelona's Ousmane Dembele is also a top target for Chelsea, but a new target has emerged that will excite Blues fans.

With flop buy Romelu Lukaku expected to leave the club this summer after a woeful first season back at Stamford Bridge, Tuchel and Cech are targeting a top striker who will guarantee goals and they believe that player could be Inter Milan's Argentine forward, Lautaro Martinez.

Both Kounde, 23, and Martinez, 24, fit the bill for Cech and Tuchel as they are looking to add youthful exuberance to the Chelsea squad in a summer that will see experienced performer Antonio Rudiger, Ross Barkley and Lukaku make probably exits.

Chelsea's owners are keen to make some 'statement signings' this summer, as they have offered their full support to manager Tuchel after a turbulent few months at the club that included the exit of owner Abramovich and agonising Carabao Cup and FA Cup final defeats against Liverpool.