Lucky Chelsea?

On any normal summer day, all eyes would be on Chelsea, as they continue to toil in mismanagement and misery, heading into a pre-season campaign that starts in just a few days. Thankfully for the Blues, they can continue their excruciatingly painful saga, while most eyes are trained on Russia.

Most other top Premier League clubs have already begun to bolster their squads. Liverpool sealed a £40m deal for Monaco's Fabinho, to add on to their previously agreed capture of RB Leipzig's Naby Keita. Manchester United splashed £62.7m to bring in Fred from Shakhtar Donetsk and Diogo Dalot from Porto, before making the shrewd acquisition of Lee Grant to add depth in the goalkeeping position. Arsenal has managed to sign Stephen Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno, and Sokratis Papastathopoulos for just £37m.

Chelsea's rivals have already made major signings this window

Chelsea, meanwhile, is yet to decide who their manager will be next season, continue to have a toxic ownership situation, and are yet to make a single signing despite expected departures for Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard.

It is not necessarily a pressing matter that Chelsea bring in new players - they have plenty of talent to call upon from their extensive "loan army" if they so desire. The issue is, however, that the club will, inevitably, make a needless panic signing at the end of the window for an incredibly inflated price.

However, the biggest issue at the club remains the managerial situation. As of now, Antonio Conte remains the club's coach, despite the Italian boss constantly agitating for a move. Despite a summer of rumors claiming that former Napoli coach, Maurizio Sarri, would be the one to take over at Stamford Bridge, the players may end up once again being in the company of Conte when they return for pre-season.

Antonio Conte's relationship with Chelsea may have deteriorated beyond repair

It appears as if too much has occurred for the Blues to keep Conte. From the club's public discussions with Sarri's agents to Conte's continued criticism of the Blues' "austerity project", the situation is quickly becoming unmendable. Chelsea in the past have been known for firing coaches using a rationale that ignores common sense - yet when a dismissal seems to the entirely correct decision, Antonio Conte remains at the club.

Had it been any other summer, the British press would immediately be on Chelsea's back, as to why they are yet to make crucial decisions heading into the new season. Instead, the Blues have the World Cup in Russia to thank as their unending farce drags on.