Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC
Behdad Eghbali is now the main man at Chelsea, whether fans like it or not.
Clearlake Capital has officially taken sole ownership of Chelsea, completing a deal to buy out the remaining stakes held by Todd Boehly and Mark Walter.
The move ends months of behind-the-scenes friction over transfer strategy, leadership styles, and plans for a new stadium. Boehly steps down as chairman after reaching an agreement on a £950 million exit, giving Clearlake co-founder Behdad Eghbali total authority over football operations.
With Eghbali now holding the reins without internal power struggles, Chelsea enters a critical new phase defined by a single, focused chain of command.
Xabi Alonso welcomes full control for Behdad Eghbali
Given the negativity surrounding Behdad Eghbali at Stamford Bridge at times over the past six months, it’s always interesting to see what people inside Chelsea make of the Clearlake man.
And it seems as if there’s generally a positive perspective on him, as Xabi Alonso is coming round to the idea of Eghbali taking full control of the club.
He said in his presser ahead of Brentford: “Now that Behdad is taking almost full control, I think it’s good that the main one is clear.”
It is easy to see why Xabi Alonso is so pleased with Behdad Eghbali’s expanded role. Eghbali was right in the thick of Chelsea’s summer transfer business, sticking strictly to his word on every signing discussed.
Instead of leading from a distance, he stayed personally involved in recruitment meetings, drove contract talks over the line, and made sure Alonso got the exact profiles he asked for.
He even showed up in person for a midweek Carabao Cup match, showing a level of hands-on commitment that has built immediate trust with the manager.