Todd Boehly and Mark Walter are reportedly in talks to sell their stakes in Chelsea to Clearlake Capital, potentially bringing an end to the long-running tensions within the club’s ownership group.
The American billionaires are understood to be considering transferring their personal holdings to Clearlake, which already owns a 61.5 per cent stake in Chelsea. The talks were first reported by the Financial Times and could value the Premier League club at more than £5 billion.
Boehly and Walter were part of the consortium that joined forces with Clearlake to acquire Chelsea from Roman Abramovich in 2022. Boehly subsequently became the club’s chairman, while the ownership structure gave Clearlake the majority shareholding but left the two sides with significant influence over the club’s governance.
Relations between the two factions have reportedly deteriorated over strategic decisions concerning the running of the club. Areas of disagreement have included recruitment, managerial decisions and the club’s long-term stadium plans.
Boehly has reportedly become dissatisfied with the direction of the club, while disagreements over Chelsea’s football structure have contributed to tensions between him and Clearlake co-founder Behdad Eghbali. The club’s recruitment model and frequent managerial changes have been among the issues surrounding the ownership dispute.
The stadium question has also remained a major strategic issue. Chelsea have considered options involving the redevelopment of Stamford Bridge and a potential move elsewhere, with differences within the ownership group reportedly making progress more difficult.
A completed transaction would significantly strengthen Clearlake’s control of Chelsea and could simplify the club’s ownership structure after years of reported disagreements.
However, no agreement has been finalised, and Chelsea, Clearlake, Boehly and Walter have not publicly confirmed the reported negotiations.
The development comes as Chelsea prepare for another season under a new direction, with the ownership group facing pressure to provide greater stability and a clearer long-term strategy for the club.
