TODD BOEHLY is prepared to test Clearlake Capital’s no-sale stance with an attempt to take control of Chelsea.
Relations between Boehly and majority owners Clearlake Capital, headed up by co-founder Behdad Eghbali, have broken down in recent months.
Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly appear at loggerheadsGetty
Jadon Sancho was the last of Chelsea’s 13 transfer window signingsInstagram
The fracture has resulted in both parties exploring buying the other out, but Eghbali has ruled out selling to his investment partner.
However, Boehly, who is also an investor in the LA Dodgers baseball team, is confident of raising £2.5billion to buy out Clearlake and has not been put off by Eghbali’s stance.
Boehly was the face of the Chelsea takeover in 2022 and led sporting decisions during the ownership’s first transfer window.
However, Eghbali has now taken a far more hands-on role in the running of the club.
The Californian businessman works closely with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart and was heavily involved in the summer window which saw 13 new players arrive at Chelsea – while Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah and Raheem Sterling all left.
Both owners have attended games at Stamford Bridge this season and were reported to be in the same box ahead of the Premier League opener against Manchester City.
However, the two were both on the club’s pre-season tour of America and were not seen together.
Private equity firm Clearlake, run by Eghbali and co-founder Jose E Feliciano, own a 61.5 per cent stake while the remaining 38.5 per cent is split equally between Boehly and businessmen Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Boehly has no interest in selling his individual stake meaning any takeover offer from Clearlake would have to encompass the full 38.5 per cent stake.
All decisions made at the club currently have to be signed off by Eghbali, Feliciano and Boehly and there has been huge change on the pitch and behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge since the trio took control.
Work on a new stadium, however, has stalled with there thought to have been clashes between the owners over proposals for a new home.
All parties are keen to find a resolution to the current situation in the boardroom, which is threatening to only add to the on-pitch chaos Chelsea have suffered under their American owners.
Boehly and Clearlake arrived at the club following Roman Abramovich‘s forced sale promising a change from the hire-and-fire culture but are onto their fifth different manager with a spend of over £1.2bn and are yet to deliver a trophy.
The American ownership have taken a radical approach to ownership, stockpiling expensive young talent on contracts as long as nine years while also sailing close to the wind on the Premier League’s financial rules.
Meanwhile, Chelsea fans on social media appear to be backing Boehly over Eghbali – albeit grudgingly – in any power struggle.
One said: “Boehly because he has a sporting background and is not rigid with his policy. Not afraid to make (a) big signing.”
Another claimed: “Boehly because he has a sporting background and is not rigid with his policy. Not afraid to make [a] big signing.”
But supporters are unhappy at the club’s latest spending spree – this time under Enzo Maresca – so far leaving the Blues’ just 11th.
They did win 6-2 at Wolves last time out in the Prem and some claim chelsea still need “up to three more attackers”.
It came after the Blues splashed out more than £430million on their 13 summer newcomers, although Jadon Sancho‘s deadline arrival from Manchester United was on loan.
