Michael Edwards rejects immediate Chelsea move

Former Liverpool director Michael Edwards has rejected the chance to take over at Chelsea this summer.

Edwards joined Liverpool as an analyst in 2011 and later spent seven years as a director, walking away this summer having forged a reputation as a master negotiator in the transfer market.

Upon leaving Liverpool, Edwards voiced an intention to spend some time away from the game but Chelsea reached out to the director earlier this summer in an attempt to convince him to make an immediate return to football.

However, according to The Athletic, Edwards has made it clear that he is not interested in finding a new job this summer.

Importantly, Edwards is not thought to have ruled out joining Chelsea altogether and a future approach cannot be ruled out.

In the meantime, owner Todd Boehly is operating as interim sporting director and is leading Chelsea's transfer business, but the plan has long been to make a permanent appointment - ideally in this transfer window.

With Edwards not joining and a number of Chelsea's other targets already employed and occupied in the transfer window, the feeling is that the Blues will not find a sporting director this summer.