Report: Chelsea's top sporting director choice could stay at Salzburg

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly faces the prospect of adding numerous weeks to his sporting director search after Red Bull Salzburg reportedly made it clear they intend to keep the Blues’ No. 1 target, Christoph Freund.

The optimism inside Stamford Bridge that the appointment of Freund was imminent may have been premature, as there’s now a good chance the Austrian will remain at Salzburg, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein.

Freund, 45, is renowned for his talent-spotting skills and use of data. He helped broker the arrivals of Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane, Brenden Aaronson, Naby Keita, and Dayot Upamecano at Salzburg. Another one of his celebrated recruits, Benjamin Sesko, will join RB Leipzig in a high-profile move next summer.

The setback would mean Boehly remains interim sporting director for a little longer. The American spent over £260 million during the summer transfer window after he temporarily assumed those duties following Marina Granovskaia’s departure in June. He had 23 days’ experience in English football when he filled that position.

Chelsea legend Petr Cech also vacated his role as technical adviser soon after Boehly and Clearlake Capital Group’s takeover was completed at the end of May.

Boehly, an admirer of the Red Bull model, previously explored the possibility of hiring RB Leipzig chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff at Chelsea in the summer, but both parties mutually decided against that change, Ornstein reports.