CHELSEA OWNERS WANT TO SELL IN LATEST TURBULENT TWIST AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

 

Cole Palmer is embraced by Chelsea chairman Too Boehly with Donald Trump watching on. Photo: Getty Images

The Telegraph in the UK is reporting that Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are looking at selling their stakes in the Premier League club.

Their proposed sale to majority owner Clearlake Capital would value the London club at $9.5 billion and give the private equity company complete control at the club.

Currently, the pair, along with Hansjorg Wyss, own 12.8% each of the club.

Boehly is the chairman, but Clearlake, with Behdad Eghbali and Jose Feliciano in charge, call the shots at Stamford Bridge.

Boehly is arguably the most visible of Chelsea owners, and was the face of the bid that bought the club off Roman Abramovich four years ago in a $5 million deal, but his chairmanship is due to end at the end of the season.

According to the BBC, a rift within the ownership group, first rumoured in 2024, has led to the parties working out how to buy each other out. The future of Stamford Bridge and agreement on whether to move, or what that would look like, has been suggested as one of the sources of tension.

Should they successfully sell their stakes, the pair would each stand to pocket some $1.2 billion each.

It would be a dizzying period for Walter, co-owner and chief executive of global finance firm Guggenheim Partners, who sold the Los Angeles Lakers last week for a record $17.6 billion.

Xabi Alonso has been appointed to lead Chelsea on the park this term as they look to rebuild after a 10th placed finish last term, the latest twist in a turbulent four years under the American ownership. While Chelsea won the Club World Cup in 2025, they have chopped and changed managers without mounting a serious Premier League title chase.

The Athletic reports there is an ongoing United States Department of Justice investigation into Walters’ business dealings, while this Chelsea sale is not something that will be triggered imminently.

Meanwhile, off field discussions haven’t stopped Chelsea being active in the transfer market but the latest report suggests speedster Pedro Neto could be off to Al Hilal.

Sky Sports reports that Chelsea have put a $191 million price tag on the Portuguese winger if the Saudi Arabia club are serious in securing him.

- Football360.com.au

CHELSEA'S MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER CLEARLAKE CAPITAL NOT SELLING - SOURCES

Clearlake Capital board member Behdad Eghbali(Image: Glyn Kirk/IKImages/AFP/Getty Images)

Chelsea's majority shareholder Clearlake Capital are not interested in selling their stake amid suggestions of a power battle at the club, sources told ESPN.

A report by Bloomberg on Friday claimed that the Blues' most prominent shareholders are exploring options to buy each other out but sources close to the ownership have told ESPN that Clearlake are solely focused on providing long-term stability at Stamford Bridge.

Clearlake own 61.54% of Chelsea with the remaining 38.46% split between businessmen Todd Boehly, Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss.

Sources told ESPN that while relations between Boehly and Clearlake co-founder Behdad Eghbali have cooled in recent times, their relationship remains professional.

Sources suggested that no direct talks between any individual investor and Clearlake have taken place at time of writing but Clearlake are open to increasing their stake should the situation arise.

Boehly, Eghbali and Clearlake co-founder Jose E Feliciano have sign-off on all major decisions affecting the club.

The consortium completed their takeover in May 2022 after Chelsea were put up for sale following previous owner Roman Abramovich's sanctioning by the United Kingdom government for alleged ties to Russia President Vladimir Putin.

Boehly assumed a prominent role in the first summer following the change of ownership, operating as acting sporting director before the club appointed an executive team to lead Chelsea forward.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

MAURICIO POCHETTINO OUT AFTER 1 SEASON INCHARGE

Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea despite winning his last five league games. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

 Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea by mutual consent after just one season in charge, the club confirmed in a statement Tuesday.

Sources told ESPN that Pochettino, 52, departed following talks in the past 48 hours with co-owner Behdad Eghbali and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart.

Pochettino, who also publicly confirmed he had dinner with co-owner Todd Boehly on Friday, guided Chelsea to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League, the Carabao Cup final and the FA Cup semifinals during his solitary campaign.

Sources insisted that although Pochettino had a year remaining on his contract, the decision was amicable on both sides.

Stewart and Winstanley said in a club statement: "On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season. He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career."

Pochettino said: "Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and sporting directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club's history. The club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come."

Pochettino's coaching staff -- Jesus Perez, Miguel d'Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino -- have all also left the club.

Sources told ESPN that there has been a split for some time within the Chelsea hierarchy over whether to persist with Pochettino after a disappointing campaign in which they were languishing in midtable despite spending £1 billion ($1.27 billion) on new players since the Boehly-Clearlake Capital takeover of May 2022.

Sources told ESPN that Boehly was keen on retaining Pochettino but Eghbali wanted to replace him with a new coach.

Pochettino's frustration at the ongoing uncertainty over his future had spilled into his recent news conferences, insisting it "would not be the end of the world" if he left Chelsea.

Sources told ESPN that the players held a gathering with families at the stadium in the hours after Sunday's final-day win over Bournemouth and nobody there was told that Pochettino would be leaving.

Tuesday's decision comes after the club held an end of season review. The Blues ended their campaign with five consecutive wins and just one league defeat from 15 matches but frustrations on both sides had already been well established.

Sources said Chelsea expected quicker progress under Pochettino given the significant investment on players while the Argentine had concerns about the day-to-day running of the club and the lack of clarity over forward planning.

It is unclear at this stage whom Chelsea will target as Pochettino's replacement. Sources told ESPN that the club will likely seek a younger profile of coach, with Kieran McKenna, who has guided Ipswich Town back to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years after back-to-back promotions, one name widely linked.

Roberto De Zerbi is a free agent after leaving Brighton, while Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has previously attracted interest from several Premier League clubs including West Ham. Sources told ESPN that Amorim, 39, is admired at Stamford Bridge.

Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas insisted this week that Amorim would remain with the Portuguese club next season.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC