Todd Boehly feels left out at Chelsea and faces big decision after £4.25bn deal
Todd Boehly has to make a decision about his future as Chelsea co-owner amid a potential buyout involving Clearlake Capital.
This is according to talkSPORT journalist Ben Jacobs, who insists there is no “civil war” in the blues but he says Boehly currently feels left out.
Chelsea was sold in May 2022 in a deal worth £4.25bn after its previous owner, Roman Abramovich, was sanctioned for his links to Russian President Vladimir Putin amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Boehlywhich is also co-owner of the American baseball team LA Dodgers, and private equity firm Clearlake Capital completed the purchase.
talkSPORT reported in September that they are pique on the operation of Chelsea and Clearlake are interested in buying out Boehly.
Transfer policy, on-field results and the slow progress of plans for a new stadium are understood to have strained their relationship.
However, talkSPORT's Jacobs rejected any claims of a civil war at Stamford Bridge and explained what's next for Boehly.
Talking about the current situation of the club's hierarchy in the first episode of Inside ChelseaHe said: “I think it's professional and cordial, that's the first thing. Everyone uses the term 'civil war', the club members don't recognize it.
“But, essentially, we have Todd Boehly, who has the greatest individual vested interest, but still only owns 13 percent of the club and wants more control, and is not so on board with the direction of travel with the draft or the stadium plans.
“And some sources also say that he was more in favor of keeping Mauricio Pochettino, but to be fair, he had a veto, so he could have stopped his departure and he didn't, he left with the majority and that's what you want , what a collaborative model where there is freedom to challenge.
“So now the onus is on Todd Boehly to find a solution. From Clearlake Capital's point of view, they are leading the club through Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano (co-founder of Clearlake), so if nothing changes, They're fine, they're the majority owner.
“So, Todd Boehly has a decision to make right now. Does he continue on this path because it's actually going pretty well and because they have that cordial relationship, things can smooth out?
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“Or do you try and push for change? And if you try and push for change, there's no turning back, so Boehly would buy out Clearlake or fail and then probably get bought out himself.”
“But Clearlake doesn't have to do much because they are the majority owner, so the status quo is fine for them, if Boehly wants to leave, they will buy him out and then the big question is, if Boehly makes an offer for Clearlake Capital, will they do it? would you consider?
“Because sources tell me that Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano would automatically reject any offer from Todd Boehly. The Boehly side says there are other investors and if they got a great return, then they might recommend a sale.
“But again, the Clearlake side says that the fund that controls Chelsea is what is known as 'discretionary,' so without lulling people, what it means is that Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano are effectively managing a kind of trust fund.
“And the investors are basically beneficiaries who have no control, and only the trustees can decide, so if Boehly makes an astronomical offer, each investor as part of the Chelsea fund can't just say, 'We like that huge amount.'” money', it only depends on Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano.
“And at the moment sources say they will reject anything, which means the most likely scenarios are that Boehly tries, fails and then leaves and Clearlake owns 100 percent of the club. Or, alternatively, they will get into a space, they will reconcile and the status quo will be maintained.
Inside Chelsea host Olivia Buzaglo asked if Eghbali minds that Boehly is the face of the club, even though he receives support for the club's progress.
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Jacobs said: “I think it's not necessarily that personal between them, but it's true, as you say, Boehly is the face and if it works, he'll get a lot of credit.
“But the reality is that Behdad Eghbali in particular is the most important person at Chelsea Football Club, he controls everything, he is aligned with the sporting directors, he is more everyday than Todd Boehly.
“In 2027, Boehly will no longer be president, and Clearlake Capital and Behdad Eghbali will elect the new president, and on top of that, Clearlake is driving this data-driven approach.
“This renewal of the medical department, this new coaching department, the appointment of Enzo Maresca, the plans for the new stadium, whether they remodel Stamford Bridge, build a new stadium or move.
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“Now everything goes through Clearlake, so I would say that at this point it's not really that Behdad Eghbali is frustrated that Todd Boehly is in the headlines, it's the other way around, it's Boehly that is frustrated that he is increasingly excluded” .
Boehly and Clearlake Capital are in their third season as Chelsea owners but have yet to oversee trophy success at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues came closest to lifting silverware last season by reaching the Carabao Cup final, although they lost in extra time to Liverpool.
Chelsea is competing on several fronts in the 2024/25 campaign and, above all, is in sixth place in the Premier League with 14 points.
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Arguably their best chance of winning a trophy for the first time since their FIFA Club World Cup triumph in February 2022 comes in this season's UEFA Conference League.
Maresca's side beat Gent 4-2 in their opening game and will then take on Greek side Panathinaikos on Thursday night, live on talkSPORT 2.
