Chelsea dealt blow as Christoph Freund opts to stay at Red Bull Salzburg

It had been thought the London outfit were hopeful of making an appointment imminently but that would now appear unlikely.

Chelsea’s Todd Boehly has suffered a blow in his search for a sporting director (John Walton/PA)

Red Bull Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund has said he has turned down the chance to take up a similar role at Chelsea.

Freund had been heavily linked with a move to Stamford Bridge as part of Chelsea’s co-controlling owner Todd Boehly’s revamp of the club’s administration.