REAL Madrid weren’t the only winners at the Champions League final in Paris. Chelsea pocketed £17 million because of an obscure clause in unused sub Eden Hazard’s contract.

It’s a handy bonus for new owner Todd Boehly, who instantly gets back nearly half a percent of the sum his consortium shelled out for the club, writes Tim Harrison.

Blues fans watched former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois produce save after save against Liverpool in Paris in a curious match which means that the Reds, with supposedly the best strike line in Europe, have failed to score in normal time in three successive cup finals.

Peace and harmony have suddenly broken out at Stamford Bridge as the Government has confirmed the American deal and everyone tries to move on from the uncertainty that has hung over the stadium since former owner Roman Abramovich was frozen out.

The bearded Russian issued a gracious statement this week, making the parting as amicable as possible in the circumstances. But now the real horse-trading starts.

A flurry of exits will be balanced by a flurry of promotions of players on the fringe of first-team football, including Harvey Vale and the bizarrely named Jude Soonsup-Bell, while Conor Gallagher is being summoned back to the Bridge from Selhurst Park… to the frustration of Palace fans.

More uncertain are the futures of Billy Gilmour, whose spell at Norwich couldn’t save the Canaries from relegation, Michy Batshuayi (who has been playing in Turkey) and Ethan Ampadu (who spent last year in Italy).

Thomas Tuchel now knows he has the backing of Boehly and his boys, and is busy trying to assemble the strongest squad possible as the dust settles. Expect plenty of new faces in the team photo at the end of July.