The organic legacy of Roman Abramovich at Chelsea has begun its decomposition process. The departure of Bruce Buck, the veteran president who put an English face on the Russian tycoon's project, has been the foretaste of a much more traumatic departure for all that it has meant in the development of the London team in recent years. The English team has made official this Wednesday the departure of Marina Granovskaia, who has served as general director of the team with full powers since 2017. The Russian leaves after the landing at Stamford Bridge of the new owners, led by the American billionaire Todd Boehly . The statement specifies that Boehly has already taken command of the club's transfer and departure operations, starting with the sale of Romelu Lukaku to Inter Milan, while he searches for the ideal replacement for Granovskaia.
According to different sources, the chosen one would be the Italian Andrea Berta, currently responsible for the sports field of Atlético.
Still, Granovskaia will remain available to Boehly and the club during the current transfer window as a necessary measure to support the transition. "We thank Marina for her many years of excellent service to the club and wish her all the best in her future endeavours," the Blues note read.
Granovskaia (Moscow, 47 years old) has been Abramovich's most loyal collaborator in the almost two decades that the Saratov leader has been at the helm of the London team. Both joined their destinies even in the last century, in 1997, when she started working at Sibneft, the oil company owned by Abramovich. They say that it was her good eye with her numbers that made her win points before her boss and go up in a company that ended up being sold to Gazprom for a multimillion dollar figure. Then came the purchase of Chelsea, and Granovskaia became Abramovich's shadow in London.
He had never had a relationship with the world of baseball. His first concerns were artistic. He studied music and dance before deciding on a degree in Foreign Languages at Moscow State University. His rise to the top management of Chelsea was also slow, but it was easy to see how he was becoming more and more essential in the day-to-day running of the club. In 2014 all the big commercial agreements already pass through his hands. And in 2017 he also assumes the negotiations of the sports field, where he exhibits a relentless style when it comes to agreeing transfers and adjusting prices. It is at that moment when she earns the nickname of 'Iron Lady'. At Real Madrid they know well how tough she is in an office. It was with her that they had to deal with the signings of Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard.
Among his greatest successes is the signing of the new contract with Nike to wear the Chelsea shirt, closed for a total of 990 million euros at a rate of 66 million until 2032. Never before had so much been paid in the Premier. The profit of 37.5 million euros with which Chelsea ended the 20-21 season, in the midst of a pandemic and despite having spent nearly 250 million euros to strengthen the team for just a few months, is also valued as a great achievement. before. Chelsea's financial health then contrasted with the enormous difficulties of most clubs to sustain their accounts in such a difficult scenario.
The spotlights and notoriety do not go with it. Her elusive character gives her a mysterious air even for Chelsea's own fans, who will most regret the departure of a woman who knew how to earn the respect of her great European competitors. Last year, before the invasion of Ukraine, she was named the best club manager in European football. Not even that award ends her self-imposed silence.
Of his nearest future nothing is known. Perhaps she will remain faithful to Abramovich and accompany him in his next undertakings. Or maybe the football bug has gotten to you enough to try your hand at a new club.
