Boehly reveals Chelsea owners likely to split if they disagree over stadium plan

Todd Boehly has said plans over Chelsea’s stadium redevelopment will define whether he stays in partnership with the club’s majority shareholder, Clearlake Capital. Boehly and Clearlake have an uneasy relationship and have both explored the possibility of buying each other out. The mood has cooled since differences spilled out into the open this season but tension over Chelsea’s future direction persists.

A key issue to resolve is whether Chelsea should leave Stamford Bridge or expand its capacity of about 40,000. Redeveloping is not straightforward and talks about moving to Earl’s Court have continued. There is no consensus on whether to make an offer for the Earl’s Court site.

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“We have to think long term about what we’re trying to accomplish,” Boehly said when asked about the dynamic at ownership level in an interview with Bloomberg. “We have a big stadium development opportunity that we have to flesh out. That’s going to be where we’re either aligned or we ultimately decide to go different ways.”

Chelsea are fourth in the Premier League, giving them a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since the Boehly-Clearlake takeover in 2022. Boehly, who has looked at securing investment for a full takeover, suggested that nothing could change when he expanded on suggestions of differences between him and Clearlake.

“The status quo is something that’s just fine,” he said. “We’ve learned from each other and we’re going to be able to work it out any which way. If you look at the evolution of the team, we’ve been aligned on what we’re trying to do and what we’re trying to build.

“It’s a team that’s young, it’s a team that’s got long contracts. All these things were new. In order to do all these things we’ve done, it’s because we’re aligned. We’re executing on a plan that ultimately will have Chelsea where it belongs. We’re sitting in the top four of the table.”

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