Marina Granovskaia’s influence behind the scenes at Chelsea is set to increase in the wake of Michael Emenalo’s resignation, with any successor as the technical director likely to have to report to her rather than enjoying a direct line of communication with Roman Abramovich.

The Premier League champions are undertaking a review of their management structure following Emenalo’s decision to stand down, with Abramovich taking a keen interest in the process as he seeks to ensure Chelsea remain stable through another period of transition. The hierarchy are also keen to make sure Antonio Conte is not unsettled by the changes above him.

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Emenalo had made clear his desire to resign in the summer, craving time with his young family as he approached a decade spent in various roles at Chelsea, and Abramovich failed in a final attempt to persuade him to stay during talks at the club’s Cobham training base at the end of last month.

The owner is not used to key figures stepping down of their own accord and the fact the club still hoped to dissuade Emenalo from leaving meant there is no clear succession plan in place. Abramovich has since spoken to the directors Granovskaia, Eugene Tenenbaum and the chairman, Bruce Buck, over how to proceed.

The structural review remains in its infancy, with all options being considered as to how to fulfil the duties performed by Emenalo. Granovskaia, who is primarily involved in transfer negotiations, has taken on the technical director’s responsibilities in the meantime, withemployees such as the head of international scouting, Scott McLachlan, and the loan technical coach, Eddie Newton, reporting directly to her. One option being explored is whether she could accept the bulk of that workload full time while delegating other aspects to staff already at the club and thereby negate the need to secure a direct replacement for Emenalo.

Similarly, the role could be redefined and a slightly more junior figure recruited. However, should the club opt to secure a like-for-like replacement then it is unlikely whoever comes in would enjoy the same level of communication with Abramovich as enjoyed by his predecessor and would instead most likely consider Granovskaia their line manager. Abramovich was close to Emenalo, one of his most trusted lieutenants and a key figure who was hired as a scout in 2007.

Leonid Slutsky, whom Chelsea had put up in one of the hotels at Stamford Bridge when he moved to London to learn English and study football in this country this year, has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the role and is someone Abramovich knows and trusts. Yet the former Russia manager is committed to his job at struggling Hull City in the Championship. Didier Drogba, the player-owner of Phoenix Rising in the US, intends to become that club’s sporting director once he retires from playing and it is unclear whether he would be in a position to rejoin Chelsea in the near future.

The club’s hierarchy are keen to impress on Conte that his duties in charge of the team will not be affected by Emenalo’s departure, with the Italian set to restore David Luiz to full training on Wednesday afternoon. The defender must prove he warrants inclusion for the next match, at West Bromwich Albion, having been dropped for poor form and his questioning of the manager’s tactics.