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Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly and Director Mark Walter have sold their stakes in the Premier League club, allowing majority owner Clearlake Capital to take full control.
The club announced on Wednesday that affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group would acquire Boehly’s ownership interest, with Walter’s shares also transferred as part of the deal. The move ends the ownership structure that began in 2022 when Boehly, Walter, Clearlake and other investors bought Chelsea from former owner Roman Abramovich for £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion).
Before the agreement, Clearlake held about 62 per cent of Chelsea, while Boehly and Walter, alongside fellow investor Hansjorg Wyss, owned the remaining shares. Wyss will continue as a stakeholder and partner in the ownership group, according to the club.
Financial details of the transaction have not been officially disclosed. However, reports have suggested the deal values Chelsea at around £5 billion, including debt, with Boehly and Walter expected to receive a significant cash payout.
Boehly, who has served as Chelsea chairman since the takeover, described his time at the club as an honour.
“It has been an honour to serve as Chairman of Chelsea Football Club,” Boehly said. “I have valued my partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment we have made to support the immediate and long-term success of the Club.”
He added that Chelsea was “well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership.”
The ownership change comes after a difficult period on the pitch for Chelsea. The club finished 10th in the Premier League last season and appointed Xabi Alonso as its new manager. Boehly reportedly expressed concerns about the club’s direction, including recruitment decisions, managerial changes, and plans for a possible new stadium.
There had also been reports of disagreements between Boehly and Clearlake, including attempts by both sides to buy out the other over the past two years.
Clearlake co-founders Behdad Eghbali and Jose E. Feliciano thanked Boehly for his contribution as chairman and said the transition would not affect Chelsea’s daily operations.
“There will be no changes to the day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy at the club,” the statement said.
Boehly and Walter will continue their sports investments elsewhere, and both are co-owners of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers. Walter previously sold his stake in the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers franchise for $12.5 billion.
