Chelsea ownership tensions escalate
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The gist
Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are in talks to sell their stakes to majority.
The sale would end a public power struggle and could reshape Chelsea's ownership and.
Background
Chelsea was bought in May 2022 by a consortium led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital after Roman Abramovich was forced to sell. Clearlake holds a 61.6% stake, while Boehly and Walter together hold about 25.6%. Since the takeover, the club has underperformed on the pitch and faced financial losses, and tensions between Boehly and Clearlake's Behdad Eghbali have been public since 2024. Now reports say Boehly and Walter are open to selling their stakes to Clearlake, which would give Clearlake full control.
How it unfolded
- May 2022Boehly, Walter, and Clearlake completed the purchase of Chelsea from Roman Abramovich for £2.5 billion.
- May 2024Boehly publicly called for patience with the project, but six days later manager Mauricio Pochettino was dismissed after a season review.
- Mar 2025Boehly hinted at potential divergence over stadium plans in a Bloomberg interview.
- 2024 -2025Chelsea recorded a pre-tax loss of £262.4m, a Premier League record, and fans protested with clown stickers.
- Aug 17, 2026Reports emerged that Boehly and Walter were in talks to sell their stakes to Clearlake, valuing the club at about £5bn.
Who’s saying what
- Analysts
- A Walter exit would have limited operational impact since Clearlake retains majority control.
- Support
- Clearlake insists it is focused on long-term stability.
- Caution
- Some sources say Boehly and Eghbali share a 'professional' relationship, but strain has leaked into public domain.
Still unverified
Reports of the sale talks are based on anonymous sources and have not been officially confirmed by the club or the owners. The exact valuation and terms of any potential deal are unconfirmed.