Todd Boehly and Mark Walter have sold their stakes in Chelsea, in a deal that gives Clearlake Capital full control of the Premier League club. Boehly also leaves his role as chairman as part of the transition.
The two American billionaire businessmen were among the investors who partnered with Clearlake to buy Chelsea from Roman Abramovich, in a sale mandated by the UK government in May 2022. Clearlake had previously owned 61.5% of the club, with Boehly and Walter dividing the remaining shares alongside another investor, Hansjörg Wyss.
A statement issued late on Wednesday night confirmed the structure of the deal. It said affiliates of Clearlake Capital Group, LP would acquire the ownership interest of Todd Boehly, and that Hansjörg Wyss would remain an important stakeholder and partner in the ownership group. Clearlake would also acquire Mark Walter’s ownership interest, the statement added, and would therefore acquire full control of the club.
Chelsea said Boehly, as chair, had shown “unwavering commitment” to the ownership group’s belief that the supporters are at the heart of the club. “The owners have worked together with the shared objective of building a sustainable foundation for long-term sporting success,” the statement said, pointing to substantial investment made under the joint ownership across the men’s and women’s senior and youth squads, the training facilities at Cobham, medical and player-support resources, academy development and pathways, and the sporting and business leadership of the club. The club said Boehly now leaves his role as chairman with Chelsea well positioned for the next phase of development, and that Clearlake intends to continue building on the strategic course the club is now on.
Boehly said: “It has been an honour to serve as chairman of Chelsea Football Club. I would like to thank the many who helped secure a bright future for the club, including the English Premier League, the coaches and players, the talented leadership and staff at Chelsea, and the legions of dedicated fans.” He added that he had valued his partnership with Clearlake and the wider ownership group, and the collective decisions and investment made to support the club’s immediate and long-term success. “I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned for continued success under Clearlake’s leadership,” he said.
Behdad Eghbali and José Feliciano, cofounders of Clearlake Capital, thanked Boehly for his time and contribution as chairman, describing him as an important partner throughout their ownership of the club and saying he would always be part of the Chelsea story and family. They noted that Clearlake has served as Chelsea’s majority owner since 2022, and said that with the move to full control the focus would be on continuing to invest in the club’s infrastructure, sporting performance, player development and delivering long-term success for Chelsea and its supporters.
Chelsea say there will be no changes to day-to-day operations, leadership or strategy at the club. The team appointed Xabi Alonso as manager in the summer and currently sit sixth in the Premier League.