Chelsea bring battle to the boardroom

PETER KENYON’S imminent boardroom transfer to Chelsea has been read as a signal that Roman Abramovich is intent on challenging Manchester United’s supremacy on the commercial front as well as on the pitch.

With the Old Trafford chief executive thought to be in London on business, a stock market announcement is expected from the United plc this morning that Kenyon will take up a similar role at Stamford Bridge as the latest part of Abramovich's revolution at the capital club.

The Russian billionaire took a matter of weeks to establish the west London club as prime movers in the transfer market with a spending spree unprecedented in the history of the game.

Well over £100million of Abramovich's oil fortune has been pumped into Claudio Ranieri's side but the decision to take the same aggressive approach with a boardroom recruit points to the Russian's desire to make his revolution pay for itself.

Kenyon has been give a good deal of credit for making United a commercial success as impervious to financial downturns as any publicly listed company can be.

With most clubs across world football forced to tighten their belts significantly, football affairs at Old Trafford have gone on much as they have for the past decade.

And former Chelsea chief executive Colin Hutchinson believes Kenyon will be asked to give the Blues the same stability.

"As part of the new Chelsea they have brought the guy in to presumably try to surpass United.

"He is a very good businessman. I think it is fair to say that what he has done commercially has made them streets ahead in England as far as resources are concerned.

"If you look globally at their financial situation compared to Real Madrid who have assembled a superb squad but also piled up a load of debt they are on a sound footing. He will be a big loss to Manchester United."

Managing director David Gill is the tip to replace him with the Old Trafford hierarchy thought to be keen on an internal appointment.

Gill replaced Kenyon as deputy chief executive three years ago when Kenyon took up the job that has now made him a Chelsea target.

Kenyon's departure has been criticised by an influential shareholders' group who, while questioning his loyalty as a Manchester United fan, admitted they would miss his supporter-friendly approach.

Shareholders United spokesman Oliver Huston said: "It should be no surprise that Roman Abramovich is not only trawling the transfer market for players.

"Peter Kenyon's contribution to the success of Manchester United and to improving relations between fans and the board no doubt made him an attractive target.

"Shareholders United experienced a thawing of relations between supporters and the plc during his tenure, holding regular meetings with him and being represented on the fans' forum in which he was instrumental in setting up.

The news that Kenyon is going to Chelsea hasn't come as a surprise to Mancunian United fans. Back in the spring rumours circulated that Kenyon's CV had been doing the rounds of major companies in the UK and US.

Indeed, influential fanzine 'The Red Issue' claimed in April that Kenyon was keen on joining Nike, seeking an escape route in the event of an Irish takeover of United.

Snide little stories began to appear in the financial press concerning Kenyon's 'inflated salary', a sure sign that the men in suits were looking to get him. Simultaneously reports from Old Trafford suggested that Kenyon's performance was beginning to worry fellow board members, including the all powerful finance director David Gill.

Sources claim that the collapsed Ronaldinho deal provides the most telling illustration as to what has really been going on. Kenyon was humiliated when the United board refused to back his final offer for the player.

This is certainly bad news for Alex Ferguson who was a close ally of Kenyon.

Many United fans will regret his move to Chelsea on the basis that it might be seen to undermine Ferguson's power base.

Additional reporting by Richard Kurt.