Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
There is big news coming out of Chelsea right now, and it is not transfer related for once!
It has just emerged that Todd Boehly and Mark Walter could be ready to sell their stakes in the club to Clearlake Capital.
For some time now, there has been friction between Boehly and Clearlake’s Behdad Eghbali, and it looks like the former is finally prepared to part ways with his business partner. But what could that mean for Chelsea?
Todd Boehly and Mark Walter graphic
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Chelsea’s stadium plans to be affected by potential Todd Boehly sale
One thing that is thought to have caused Boehly and Eghbali’s relationship to deteriorate is the club’s plans for a new stadium.
Rebuilding Stamford Bridge or moving to a new ground are both possibilities that have been mentioned.
However, there has been no movement regarding either, with it being reported on more than one occasion that there have been disagreements at boardroom level regarding how to proceed with building a new stadium.
Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali walk across the pitch at Stamford Bridge
Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images
Of course, the involvement of Chelsea Pitch Owners complicates matters, but clearly Boehly and Eghbali’s relationship has not helped the situation.
If Boehly and Walter sell their stakes to Clearlake, though, the private equity firm will have full control of Chelsea and should find it easier to make a decision on the new stadium.
READ MORE:Todd Boehly hinted Enzo Fernandez sale was always possible despite long contract
Chelsea need larger ground
Regardless of what rival fans have to say, we love Stamford Bridge! It’s an old-school ground with a pitch that is very close to the stands.
When Chelsea are actually in form, teams find it extremely difficult to come to the Bridge and get a positive result.
The reality is, though, to compete with our Premier League rivals financially, we need to make more matchday revenue. If not, the only option is to keep selling players, which is not sustainable if you are a club who want to remain at the top.
Boehly and Clearlake have really hurt themselves by not finding a long-term front-of-shirt sponsor. But this stadium issue cannot be ignored either.